ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Offshore Wind Turbines

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on tackling climate change through increasing the level of electricity generated by offshore wind turbines; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: I have regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on sustainable energy issues, both as part of the Climate Change Programme review process, and our involvement in the Sustainable Energy Policy Network. This includes the development of renewable generating capacity including offshore wind.

Biodiesel

David Mundell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether her Department has commissioned research into the effects of biodiesel power generation.

Ben Bradshaw: There has been a lot of research into the benefits of biodiesel. We announced last week that 5 per cent. of all UK road transport fuel will have to come from a renewable source by 2010. The benefits of biodiesel in power generation are less obvious because it is more efficient to use biomass.

Energy Consumption

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures she has taken to reduce energy consumption in her Department.

Jim Knight: Energy use is closely monitored and site-specific benchmarks are set for all but the smallest sites. Energy audits and remedial action are triggered for sites above benchmark. We are working with the Carbon Trust to identify scope for significant energy and carbon savings over the entire DEFRA and Executive agency estate.

Fish Stocks

John MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to protect fish stocks in UK waters; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: We are working to ensure depleted stocks are not over-exploited, while maximising catching opportunities for our fishing industry where this is justified.

0870 Numbers

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the occasions in the last five years on which 0870 telephone numbers have been used by her Department as contact numbers for members of the public; and how much revenue was received from the use of 0870 contact numbers in each of the last five years for which records are available.

Jim Knight: Of the helplines operated by the core Department only the Pet Travel Scheme Helpline operates a 0870 telephone number (0870 241 1710). This has been available to members of the public since late 1999. No revenue has been received from the use of this number.

Animal Snares

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will ban the (a) sale, (b) manufacture and (c) use of animal snares; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Government considers that where there is a need for wildlife management then the proper use of snares is one of a range of control methods. Used according to best practice, snares can be an effective and practical means of wildlife management and are needed where other forms of pest control are ineffective or impractical. In these circumstances snares restrain rather than kill and may prove to be more humane than other methods. If snares were to be banned entirely it may encourage the use of more dangerous and illegal alternatives such as poisons.
	The Government is also committed to working to improve the legal use of snares. Following an informal consultation on snares and traps and their use carried out in 2003 Defra convened an independent snares working group chaired by the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare. The working group was given a remit of producing a good practice guide and advising Defra on next steps on improving the use of snares. On 18 October we published the working group's report together with the Defra Snares Action Plan and the Defra Code of Good Practice on the use of Snares in Fox and Rabbit Control in England. These documents can be found at: http://www.Defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countryside/vertebrates/snares/index.htm

Bee Hive Inspection

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with her EU counterparts about EU proposals to restrict inspection of bee hives to veterinary surgeons.

Jim Knight: The Department is not aware of any EU proposals to restrict the inspection of bee hives to veterinary surgeons nor has it entered into discussion with other member states on this subject.

Bee Keeping/Research

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent estimate she has made of the annual value of the bee keeping industry to the (a) agricultural and (b) horticultural industries.

Jim Knight: holding answer 10 November 2005
	The most recent assessment of the economic value of beekeeping in England was undertaken by ADAS Consulting Ltd in 2001. The report can be found on the bee health pages of the Defra website at www.defra.gov.uk/hort/bees/econ-eval.htm. It estimated the value of pollination by bees of commercial crops at around £118 million p.a., with agricultural crops (oilseed rape) accounting for £11 million and horticulture (beans, top and soft fruit) for £107 million of this total respectively. The researchers excluded protected cropping, such as glasshouse-grown tomatoes, as honey bees are rarely used for pollination of these crops.

Bee Keeping/Research

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what the planned funding is for the National Bee Unit at the Central Science Laboratories at York; and what funding has been allocated to the unit in 2005–06;
	(2)  if she will increase investment in the National Bee Inspectorate.

Jim Knight: holding answer 10 November 2005
	The Department's expenditure with the National Bee Unit, which includes the field force of the Bee Health Inspectorate, is £1.235 million in 2005–06. Funding will remain at this level until 2007–08. Future funding and investment in the unit and the inspectorate will be considered with other areas of the Department's work as expenditure plans for future years are developed.

Beef

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on her planned measures to help the English beef market.

Jim Knight: My noble Friend, the Minister for Food and Farming (Lord Bach), chaired a meeting of key industry stakeholders on 14 October to consider the issues currently facing the beef industry. A detailed report is contained in Defra Press Release number 450/05 issued on 14 October.

Beef

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the countries which permit import of UK beef; and how much each imported in each of the last three years.

Jim Knight: The following table shows a list of countries who currently do not ban the importation on beef from the UK.
	Data as recorded by HM Revenue and Customs shown for all of these countries the UK has exported to. This will include re-exports of beef of non-UK origin.
	Exports to EU countries is permitted under the Data Based Exports Scheme which mostly covers exports from Northern Ireland into the Republic of Ireland. Otherwise exports are from cattle slaughtered outside the UK.
	
		UK exports of beef to countries who do not ban the importation of UK beef
		
			  2002 2003 2004 January to August 2005 
			  £000 Tonnes £000 Tonnes £000 Tonnes £000 Tonnes 
		
		
			 Afghanistan 30 7 69 19 110 25 33 11 
			 Anguilla — — — — — — — — 
			 Antarctica — — 4 1 1 0 — — 
			 Antigua and Barbuda — — — — — — — — 
			 Aruba — — — — 4 1 — — 
			 Ascension Island — — — — — — — — 
			 Austria 0 0 — — — — — — 
			 Bangladesh — — — — — — — — 
			 Belgium 14 4 346 158 216 44 359 78 
			 Belize — — — — — — — — 
			 Benin — — —- — — — — — 
			 Bermuda 3 0 — — — — — — 
			 Botswana — — — — — — — — 
			 British Virgin Islands — — — — — — — — 
			 Burundi — — — — — — — — 
			 Cambodia — — — — — — — — 
			 Cape Verde — — — — — — — — 
			 Comoros — — — — — — — — 
			 Costa Rica — — — — — — — — 
			 Cyprus 3 1 — — — — — — 
			 Czech Republic — — — — — — — — 
			 Denmark 25 6 — — 85 22 4 1 
			 Djibouti — — — — — — — — 
			 Dominica (Commonwealth of) — — — — — — — — 
			 Eritrea — — 3 2 — — — — 
			 Estonia — — — — — — — — 
			 Ethiopia 2 0 — — — — — — 
			 Falkland Islands 90 31 109 41 186 54 111 39 
			 Faroe Islands — — — — — — — — 
			 Fiji Islands — — — — — — — — 
			 Finland — — 168 22 — — — — 
			 France 570 183 148 65 908 551 957 391 
			 French Polynesia — — — — — — — — 
			 Gambia, The 1 0 — — — — — — 
			 Georgia — — — — — — — — 
			 Germany 2,118 777 1,944 872 2,184 756 699 268 
			 Ghana — — — — — — — — 
			 Gibraltar 5 2 — — — — — — 
			 Greece 15 7 — — 3 2 0 0 
			 Guinea — — — — — — — — 
			 Guinea-Bissau — — — — — — — — 
			 Haiti — — — — — — — — 
			 Honduras — — — — — — — — 
			 Hong Kong — — — — — — — — 
			 Hungary — — — — — — 1 1 
			 Iceland — — — — — — — — 
			 Iran — — — — — — — — 
			 Iraq — — — — — — — — 
			 Israel — — — — 24 2 1 0 
			 Italy 351 114 1,228 348 687 311 370 92 
			 Ivory Coast 19 11 — — — — — — 
			 Jamaica — — 6 2 — — — — 
			 Kazakhstan — — — — — — — — 
			 Kiribati — — — — — — — — 
			 Laos — — — — — — — — 
			 Latvia — — — — — — — — 
			 Lebanon — — — — — — — — 
			 Lesotho — — — — — — — — 
			 Liberia — — — — — — — — 
			 Lithuania — — — — — — — — 
			 Luxembourg — — — — — — — — 
			 Macedonia — — — — — — — — 
			 Madagascar — — — — — — — — 
			 Malawi — — — — — — — — 
			 Maldives — — — — — — — — 
			 Mali — — — — — — — — 
			 Malta 1 0 — — — — — — 
			 Marshall Islands — — — — — — — — 
			 Mauritania — — — — — — — — 
			 Mauritius — — — — — — — — 
			 Mayotte — — — — — — — — 
			 Micronesia — — — — — — — — 
			 Moldova — — — — — — — — 
			 Mongolia — — — — — — — — 
			 Mozambique — — — — — — — — 
			 Namibia — — — — — — — — 
			 Nauru — — — — — — — — 
			 Nepal — — — — — — — — 
			 Netherlands 8,386 1,576 6,519 1,260 3,683 737 1,247 225 
			 New Zealand — — — — — — — — 
			 Niger — — — — — — — — 
			 Norway — — — — 1 0 — — 
			 Pakistan 5 2 — — — — — — 
			 Palau — — — — — — — — 
			 Palestine Authority — — — — — — — — 
			 Papua New Guinea — — — — — — — — 
			 Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands — — — — — — — — 
			 Poland — — — — — — — — 
			 Portugal 22 4 89 32 244 56 — — 
			 Republic of Ireland 5,630 2,340 8,615 2,672 10,627 3,603 11,532 4,383 
			 Romania — — — — — — — — 
			 Russia — — — — — — — — 
			 San Marino — — — — — — — — 
			 Sao Tome and Principe — — — — — — — — 
			 Senegal — — — — — — — — 
			 Seychelles — — — — — — — — 
			 Sierra Leone 7 2 — — — — — — 
			 Slovakia — — — — — — — — 
			 Slovenia — — — — — — — — 
			 Solomon Islands — — — — — — — — 
			 Somalia — — — — — — — — 
			 South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands — — — — — — — — 
			 Spain 594 201 40 13 215 82 205 76 
			 St. Helena 10 9 9 4 12 3 15 3 
			 St. Helena Dependencies — — — — — — — — 
			 St. Kitts and Nevis — — — — — — — — 
			 St. Lucia — — — — — — — — 
			 St. Vincent and the Grenadines — — — — — — — — 
			 Sudan — — — — — — — — 
			 Suriname — — — — — — — — 
			 Swaziland — — — — — — — — 
			 Sweden 11 9 10 9 9 2 — — 
			 Tajikistan — — — — — — — — 
			 Tanzania — — — — — — — — 
			 Tonga, Kingdom of — — — — — — — — 
			 Trinidad and Tobago — — — — — — — — 
			 Tunisia — — — — — — — — 
			 Turks and Caicos Islands — — — — — — — — 
			 Tuvalu — — — — — — — — 
			 Vanuatu — — — — — — — — 
			 Yugoslavia — — — — — — — — 
			 Zimbabwe — — — — — — — — 
		
	
	Note:
	2005 data are subject to amendments
	Source:
	H M Revenue and Customs
	Data prepared by Trade statistics, Food Chain Analysis 3, DEFRA

Beef

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the countries which do not permit the import of beef from the UK; and which of the countries export meat to the UK.

Jim Knight: The following table shows a list of countries who currently ban the importation of beef from the UK. Data is shown for all of these countries who have exported beef to the UK 2002 to August 2005.
	
		UK imports of beef from countries who have banned the importation of UK beef into their country
		
			  2002 2003 2004 January-August 2005 
			 Country £000 tonnes £000 tonnes £000 tonnes £000 tonnes 
		
		
			 Albania — — — — — — — — 
			 Algeria — — — — — — — — 
			 Angola — — — — — — — — 
			 Argentina 31,995 18,269 21,796 9,372 24,188 8,641 19,726 6,639 
			 Armenia — — — — — — — — 
			 Australia 15,703 5,453 13,659 4,338 17,077 5,280 10,443 3,165 
			 Azerbaijan — — — — — — — — 
			 Bahamas — — — — — — — — 
			 Bahrain — — — — — — — — 
			 Barbados — — — — — — — — 
			 Belarus — — — — — — — — 
			 Bolivia — — — — — — — — 
			 Bosnia and Herzegovina (Republic of) — — — — — — — — 
			 Brazil 31,678 19,088 52,855 32,058 60,805 34,611 45,016 24,660 
			 Brunei — — — — — — — — 
			 Bulgaria — — — — — — — — 
			 Burkina Faso — — — — — — — — 
			 Cameroon — — — — — — — — 
			 Canada — — — — — — — — 
			 Cayman Islands — — — — — — — — 
			 Central African Republic — — — — — — — — 
			 Chad — — — — — — — — 
			 Chile — — 113 33 413 146 1,980 663 
			 China (People's Republic of) — — — — — — — — 
			 Colombia — — — — — — — — 
			 Congo (Democratic Republic of) — — — — — — — — 
			 Congo Brazzaville — — — — — — — — 
			 Cote d'Ivoire — — — — — — — — 
			 Croatia — — — — — — — — 
			 Cuba — — — — — — — — 
			 Dominican Republic — — — — — — — — 
			 Ecuador — — — — — — — — 
			 Egypt — — — — — — — — 
			 El Salvador — — — — — — — — 
			 Equatorial Guinea — — — — — — — — 
			 Gabon — — — — — — — — 
			 Grenada — — — — — — — — 
			 Guatemala — — — — — — — — 
			 Guyana — — — — — — — — 
			 India — — — — — — — — 
			 Indonesia — — — — — — — — 
			 Japan — — — — 17 12 — — 
			 Jordan — — — — — — — — 
			 Kenya — — — — — — — — 
			 Korea (South) — — — — — — — — 
			 Kuwait — — — — — — — — 
			 Kyrgyzstan — — — — — — — — 
			 Libya — — — — — — — — 
			 Macau — — — — — — — — 
			 Malaysia — — — — — — — — 
			 Mexico — — — — — — — — 
			 Monaco — — — — — — — — 
			 Montserrat — — — — — — — — 
			 Morocco — — — — — — — — 
			 Nicaragua — — — — — — — — 
			 Nigeria — — — — — — — — 
			 Oman — — — — — — — — 
			 Panama — — — — — — — — 
			 Paraguay — — 101 122 12 11 — — 
			 Peru — — — — — — — — 
			 Philippines — — — — — — — — 
			 Qatar — — — — — — — — 
			 Rwanda — — — — — — — — 
			 Samoa — — — — — — — — 
			 Saudi Arabia — — — — — — — — 
			 Singapore — — — — — — — — 
			 South Africa — — — — — — — — 
			 Sri Lanka 
			 Switzerland 229 127 10 12 23 12 25 25 
			 Syria — — — — — — — — 
			 Taiwan — — — — — — — — 
			 Thailand — — — — — — — — 
			 Togo — — — — — — — — 
			 Turkey — — — — — — — — 
			 Turkmenistan — — — — — — — — 
			 Uganda — — — — — — — — 
			 Ukraine — — — — — — — — 
			 United Arab Emirates — — — — — — — — 
			 United States of America — — — — — — — — 
			 Uruguay 22,654 11,706 16,462 6,280 18,092 5,571 14,531 4,561 
			 Uzbekistan — — — — — — — — 
			 Venezuela — — — — — — — — 
			 Vietnam — — — — — — — — 
			 Yemen — — — — — — — — 
			 Zambia — — — — — — — — 
		
	
	Note:
	2005 data is subject to amendments
	Source:
	HM Revenue and Customs
	Data prepared by Trade statistics, Food Chain Analysis 3, Defra

Bottled Water

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her estimate is of the number of litres of bottled (a) sparkling and (b) still water consumed in the United Kingdom in each year since 2002; and what percentage was supplied in (i) plastic, (ii) glass and (iii) other materials.

Jim Knight: It is estimated that 736 million litres of mineral water were consumed in the UK in the 12 month period starting in April 2003. This estimate is based upon records of consumer purchases from the Expenditure and Food Survey.
	DEFRA does not collect statistics which distinguish between sparkling and still waters or the way water is packaged. However, figures published by Mintel in its Bottled Water Report of June 2003 indicate that 75 per cent. of bottled water in 2003 was still and 25 per cent. sparkling. In addition, 79 per cent. was packaged in plastic bottles, 20 per cent. in glass bottles and 1 per cent. in cans.

Bypasses (Aylesbury Vale)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the likely impact of building bypasses upon the rural environment in Aylesbury Vale.

Jim Knight: None. The responsibility for assessing the environmental impacts of proposed road schemes rests with the relevant transport planning authority, in this case either the local authority or the Highways Agency.

Cattle Passports

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on cattle passport fraud.

Jim Knight: The evidence we have on the incidence of serious offences committed under the Cattle Identification Regulations 1998 (as amended) concerning cattle passports is that it is low.
	In order to ensure a high level of compliance with the Regulations, 10 per cent. of cattle farms are inspected annually by the Rural Payments Agency. In England, around 6,000 farms and around 960,000 animals are examined for their compliance with tagging, passport, database registration and record-keeping rules. The results show a continuing improvement in compliance with the rules-there were 4 per cent. fewer errors made in 2004–05 than in the previous year.
	Local Authorities also undertake enforcement activities covering cattle, including unannounced inspections on farms, at livestock markets and during transport (by undertaking spot roadside stops). At slaughterhouses, the Meat Hygiene Service undertake checks on identification of cattle to ensure that only properly identified and traceable cattle enter the human food chain.
	Inspections are carried out on the basis of risk, with higher risk activities being inspected most. When non-compliance with the cattle identification rules is found, appropriate enforcement action is taken. This can range from advice, warning letters and restrictions on movements through to full prosecution resulting in prison sentences or fines. So far in 2005, 19 convictions have been obtained.
	Education is as important as enforcement, and this year the Rural Payments Agency has sent two statements to all registered cattle keepers of their Cattle Tracing System (CTS) database records to encourage them to keep their records accurate and up-to-date. In April 2005, they issued clear and comprehensive guidance to all keepers in their Cattle Keeper's Handbook". The response to the CTS statements has been encouragingly high, all the more so for being voluntary, and taken together with the improvements shown in inspections, indicates to us that the cattle industry is keen overall to ensure that their animals are fully traceable and that compliance is good.

Common Agricultural Policy

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will release data relating to individual recipients in (a) Scotland and (b) Wales of payments under the Common Agricultural Policy.

Jim Knight: RPA released information on CAP payments relating to individual recipients in March 2005, supplemented by a further regional analysis in July 2005. The information covers those payments for which RPA is responsible and includes payments made under Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) schemes in England and under non IACS schemes throughout the UK. It did not include information about payments made under IACS schemes by the EU Paying Agencies in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
	The disclosure of information held by other countries within the UK is a matter to be considered and decided upon by their devolved assemblies.

Departmental Estates

John Maples: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs who the director of building and estate management is in her Department; what relevant specialist qualifications he or she holds; and what the details are of her career to date.

Jim Knight: Defra's head of estates division is Michael Watkins. He joined Defra on 1 March 2004.
	Michael Watkins holds a BSc in land administration and is a member of The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. Prior to joining Defra Michael Watkins was employed by BAA Plc as head of asset management at Heathrow airport. He was formerly employed by a firm of managing agents in Westminster, by the Royal borough of Kingston upon Thames, Waverley borough council and the Metropolitan Police Service in varying property roles.

Departmental Staff

John Maples: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs who the director of human resources is in her Department; what relevant specialist qualifications he or she holds; and what the details are of his or her career to date.

Jim Knight: Defra's director of human resources will be Francesca Okosi. She joined Defra on 3 February 2003 as director of the improvement and delivery group and will take up post as director of human resources on 1 December 2005.
	Francesca Okosi holds an HMD in business studies and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and of the Institute of Directors. Prior to joining Defra Francesca Okosi was employed as director of human resources and consultancy services at the London borough of Brent, chief executive's department; and was formerly assistant chief executive of human resources and equalities, London borough of Merton and head of human resources strategy, London borough of Havering.

Endangered Species

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many prosecutions have been brought in each of the last three years for illegal imports of endangered species, broken down by species.

Jim Knight: In 2002 there were two prosecutions:
	Two defendants were found guilty of illegally importing 23 birds of prey; the species involved were:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Brown Fish owl 1 
			 Malay Fish owls 3 
			 Black eagle 1 
			 Barred Eagle owl 1 
			 Asian Brown Wood owl 1 
			 Asian Barred owlets 2 
			 Eastern Marsh harrier 1 
			 Mountain Hawk eagles 2 
			 Oriental Bay owls 2 
			 Brahminy kites 5 
			 Pied harriers 2 
			 Harrier 1 
			 Forest eagle 1 
		
	
	Another defendant was found guilty of illegally importing 15 reptiles; the species involved were:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Tegu lizards 4 
			 Uromastyx's 2 
			 Varanus lizards 4 
			 Pythons 4 
			 Egg Eating snake 1 
		
	
	There was one prosecution in 2004, the defendant pleaded guilty to the illegal import of seven primate skulls and one turtle skull.

Farm Subsidies

Richard Benyon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what arrangements are in place to deal with full payments due to farmers under the Single Payment Scheme in 2005 not being made by the 30 June 2006 deadline.

Jim Knight: The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is responsible for implementing the Single Payment Scheme and making payments in England. RPA is currently validating around 120,000 claims received to the 2005 scheme. RPA remains on course to commence payments in February 2006 and complete 96 per cent. of payments by the end of March, in line with announcements made at the start of the year. RPA's objective remains to complete payment on all valid claims by the end of the payment window on 30 June 2006. Any claims that cannot be resolved by 30 June 2006 will be paid as soon as possible after that date, once eligibility has been confirmed.

Farm Subsidies

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will agree to the National Farmers Union proposal to increase the budget of the hill farm allowance to £50 million; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The current Hill Farm Allowance is due to finish at the end of the current England Rural Development programming period in 2006.
	The Secretary of State gave a commitment on 22 April 2004 to consider how upland communities could receive appropriate support from rural development funds. Future arrangements are currently being reviewed in the context of the new EU Rural Development Regulation which will come into effect in 2007. The budget for the next ERDP is currently under negotiation in Brussels.

Farmland Birds

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of farmland bird species which are (a) in decline and (b) recovering in England and Wales.

Jim Knight: Assessments of farmland bird populations in England have been made annually between 1970 and 2003 by the British Trust for Ornithology, using data from the Common Bird Census and Breeding Birds Survey. Data for England and Wales have not been analysed. The assessments show that of 19 farmland bird species:
	(a) The populations of Corn Bunting, Grey Partridge, Reed Bunting, Skylark, Starling, Turtle Dove and Yellowhammer have been in decline since the 1970s and the population of Rook has also seen a decline in the last ten years. In total eight species are in decline.
	(b) The populations of Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Kestrel declined during the 1980s but have recovered to 1970 levels, while Lapwing, Linnet, Tree Sparrow, Whitethroat and Yellow Wagtail are showing signs of recovery in the last ten years following earlier declines. In total eight species are recovering.
	The populations of the remaining three species (Jackdaw, Stock Dove and Woodpigeon) have increased since 1970.

Fruit Growing

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the fruit-growing industry in (a) England and (b) Lancashire.

Jim Knight: The fruit-growing industry is worth over £300 million at the farm gate and supports substantial downstream activity, including packhouses and processing. The sector benefits from Defra's substantial research and development programme and growers are eligible for assistance under the England Rural Development Programme. The Government does not make special provision for the fruit-growing industry on a regional basis.

Horse Passports

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she has taken to ensure horse owners are aware of the requirement for horse passports; and what estimate she has made of the number of horses in England and Wales without a horse passport.

Jim Knight: holding answer 15 November 2005
	We have taken extensive steps to publicise the requirements for horse passports. We have done this by mailings of publicity leaflets to equine organisations, including those with whom horse owners are likely to have regular contact. We have also advertised the requirement in equine publications and urged equine organisations to help publicise the measure to their members. Officials have attended various equine shows and events and comprehensive information has been placed on the Defra website. The requirement has also been well covered in magazines devoted to horse and countryside interests.
	The take up of horse passports—at over 661,000 passports—is already higher than many people forecast. It is difficult to estimate the total number of horses without passports given that there is no definitive figure on the total number of horses in this country.

Hunting

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make it her policy to promote EU legislation to prohibit (a) the promotion of canned hunting trips and (b) the importation of dead animals as trophies; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight: I do not consider that new EU legislation to prohibit the promotion of particular types of hunting trips would be enforceable, while powers are already available to regulate the import, holding and sale of hunting trophies of endangered species.
	We are currently considering responses to a recent public consultation on whether we should use existing powers to prohibit the holding of certain animal specimens, including parts or derivatives of tigers, bears, Tibetan antelopes and rhinos (apart from worked antique specimens or licensed hunting trophies), and some respondents have asked that this be extended to cover all hunting trophies.
	We will of course need to take all views into account before coming to a final decision on this matter but I can assure that I will not hesitate to take appropriate action where there is evidence of unsustainable hunting of CITES species.

IT Projects

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many IT projects have been developed for her Department since 2001; and whether she has agreed to make public Gateway Reviews for these projects (a) in full and (b) in part.

Jim Knight: Since the beginning of the financial year 2001–02, there have been 673 IT projects developed for the Department using the central IT function. Projects not commissioned through the central IT function are excluded as to gather such information would incur a disproportionate cost.
	Gateway reviews are conducted on a confidential basis for the business owners of projects and are not published as a matter of course. However, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 each request for the release of information in a Gateway Review is considered on a case-by-case basis. No such requests have been received during this period.

Live Animal Imports

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the number of live animals imported for slaughter in the last year for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: holding answer 14 November 2005
	Trade statistics as gathered by HM Revenue and Customs are classified such that it is not always clear whether imported live animals are destined for slaughter or for the breeding herd/flock. Removing the cases where the animal is obviously intended for further breeding our best estimates for 2004 are as follows:
	
		
			  £000 Tonnes £000 head 
		
		
			 Poultry 936 857 1,214 
			 Cattle 39 34 0.1 
			 Pigs 28,926 31,778 407 
			 Sheep 0 0 0 
			 Goats 0 0 0 
			 Total 29,901 32,669 1,622 
		
	
	Source:
	HM Revenue and Customs
	Data prepared by Trade statistics, Food Chain Analysis 3, Defra

Orchards

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will estimate how many orchards there are in England; and how many have preservation orders applied to them.

Jim Knight: Data from the June 2004 agricultural census indicate that in England there are 2,520 holdings of commercial orchards, covering an area of 19,239 hectares; and 3,739 holdings with non-commercial orchards, covering an area of 3,030 hectares.
	The Department does not hold data on local authority preservation orders. However, under stewardship agreements, about two-thirds of the area of traditional orchards benefit from Defra funding for conservation and maintenance.

Pet Travel Scheme

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the effectiveness of the Pet Travel Scheme.

Ben Bradshaw: We believe the Pet Travel Scheme has worked well in facilitating the entry of properly protected pets into the UK from qualifying countries without the need for quarantine since its inception five years ago. Today we are announcing a review to see whether there are elements of the scheme that might be improved.

Poultry Industry

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people are employed in the poultry industry; what the economic value of the poultry industry was in 2004–05; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The information is as follows:
	1. Number employed on farm
	Numbers of people employed on farm is only available from DEFRA for England (broiler production in England accounts for 73 per cent. of the UK total).
	The analysis is presented in two ways:
	Numbers employed
	on the 17,800 holdings with at least one poultry animal
	on the 2,000 holdings classified as specialist poultry
	In the first situation much of the labour will be employed on other farm work so therefore numbers employed will be overestimated and in the second case mixed farms which have poultry but are not classified as specialist poultry will be excluded thus numbers employed will be underestimated.
	
		June 2004 Agricultural Census—England all holdings
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Labour on holdings with poultry  
			 Full-time holders on holdings with poultry 17,778 
			 Part-time holders on holdings with poultry 33,520 
			 Full-time employees on holdings with poultry 8,986 
			 Part-time employees on holdings with poultry 7,243 
			 Total labour force on holdings with poultry inc. casuals 73,455 
			   
			 Labour on holdings with a main farm type specialist poultry  
			 Full-time holders 2,042 
			 Part-time holders 5,750 
			 Full-time employees 3,536 
			 Part-time employees 1,923 
			 Total labour force inc. casuals 14,306 
		
	
	2. Number employed in the poultry processing sector
	According to figures collected by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) from their Annual Business Inquiry (ABI) the number of people employed in licensed GB poultry slaughter houses in 2003 was just over 40,000.
	3. Value of poultry production
	The value of poultry production in the UK in 2003 was £1.2 billion 1
	4. Value of poultry processing
	Based on estimates supplied by the ONS from their Annual Business Inquiry, the turnover of companies engaged in the slaughter of poultry in 2003 was £2.4 billion 2 . The ONS figures may underestimate the number of companies which process poultry meat.
	Sources:
	1 Agriculture in the UK 2004
	2 ONS Annual Business Inquiry 2003.

Revenue Funding (Hemel Hempstead)

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much funding was allocated by her Department to Hemel Hempstead constituency for (a) capital projects and (b) revenue funding in each of the last eight years.

Jim Knight: The Department does not allocate or account for its capital or revenue funding on a parliamentary constituency basis or indeed on a regional basis. Expenditure is decided along policy objective lines in support of ministerial priorities. Chapter 8 of the Public Expenditure Analysis shows overall Government expenditure on a regional basis with Hemel Hempstead being included in the East of England Region.

Rights of Way

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many outstanding applications for Byways Open to All Traffic (BOATS) there were at (a) December 2003, (b) January 2005 and (c) May 2005.

Jim Knight: holding answer 14 November 2005
	We have been collecting data on the numbers of applications for byways open to all traffic from some time. However, we do not currently have this data for the particular periods you specify. We have set about gathering this information from local authorities and have 30 responses at the time of writing this reply, but it will take further time to get all the returns in. I will write to you as soon as I have this information and place a copy in the Library of the House.

Roof-nesting Gulls

David Mundell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Government have published best practice guidance on the management of roof-nesting gulls.

Jim Knight: Defra in conjunction with the RSPB are preparing a leaflet on urban gull management. This leaflet will be published in the new year.

Rural Development Service

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many grants from her Department's Rural Development Service have been made in (a) Lancashire and (b) Chorley; and what each grant was used for.

Jim Knight: The following information sets out the number and value of grant payments that were made in (a) Lancashire and (b) Chorley during 2004–05 for each of the principle schemes administered by the Rural Development Service. The aims and objectives of each scheme are briefly set out as follows:
	The Organic Farming Scheme" (OFS) aims to encourage the expansion of organic production in England in order to help supply the increasing demand for organically produced food.
	The Environmentally Sensitive Areas" (ESA) scheme aims to encourage farmers to adopt agricultural practices which would safeguard and enhance parts of the country of particularly high landscape, wildlife or historic value.
	The Energy Crops Scheme" (ECS) provides establishment grants for two energy crops, short-rotation coppice (SRC) and miscanthus, and aid to help SRC growers set up producer groups.
	The Countryside Stewardship Scheme" (CSS) aims to sustain landscape beauty and diversity, to protect and extend wildlife habitats, to conserve archaeological sites and historic features, restore neglected land or features, create new habitats and landscapes and improve opportunities for people to enjoy the countryside.
	The Farm Woodland Scheme" (FWS) and Farm Woodland Premium Scheme" (FWPS) aim to enhance the environment through the planting of farm woodlands, thereby improving the landscape, providing new habitats and increasing biodiversity. (Now closed to new applications and replaced by the Forestry Commission 's England Woodland Grant Scheme.
	Project-based Schemes" (PBS), including the Rural Enterprise Scheme, Processing and Marketing Grant and Vocational Training Schemes, are focussed around individual developments and projects, and aim to promote imaginative and varied schemes within rural areas. The schemes are generally available to farmers and rural businesses to help them develop new opportunities and widen the skills they already possess.
	The OFS, CSS and ESA schemes are now closed to new applications and have been replaced by Environmental Stewardship that was launched in March this year. There are already over 270 live ES agreements in Lancashire.
	
		(a) Number and value of grants paid for rural development service (RDS) agreements and projects in Lancashire during 2004–05
		
			 Scheme Number of payments Value of payments (£) 
		
		
			 OFS 14 27,276.93 
			 ESA 2 16,466.46 
			 ECS 0 0 
			 CSS 449 2,351,450.52 
			 FWS 3 1,007.80 
			 FWPS 139 93,353.55 
			 PBS 73 847,596.59 
			 Total 680 3,337,151.85 
		
	
	
		(b) Number and value of grants paid for rural development service (RDS) agreements and projects in Chorley(1) during 2004–05
		
			 Scheme Number of payments Value of payments (£) 
		
		
			 OFS 1 9,075.90 
			 ESA 0 0 
			 ECS 0 0 
			 CSS 23 186,937.45 
			 FWS 0 0 
			 FWPS 3 1,466.00 
			 PBS 0 0 
			 Total 27 197,479.35 
		
	
	(1) Please note that the data for Chorley was extracted using agreement holder postcode and matching it to the constituency boundary.

Single Farm Payment Scheme

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations she has received about delays in implementing the single farm payment scheme; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Ministers and Rural Payments Agency (RPA) officials are in regular contact with all stakeholder groups, farmers and agents. Ministers and the RPA chief executive have also received several hundred written representations on issues affecting the administration of the single payment scheme (SPS). RPA announced in January 2005 that payments under the SPS in England would begin in February 2006. The regulatory payment window for the 2005 scheme laid down by the European Union runs from 1 December 2005 to 30 June 2006.

Single Farm Payment Scheme

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action she is taking to resolve delays in the mapping of farms under the single farm payment scheme; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight: holding answer 8 November 2005
	Since September 2004 the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has received over 100,000 requests to digitise land parcels or to amend their boundaries, representing a substantial increase on the previous level of requests. The majority of these requests have now been processed, and RPA has recently outsourced 85 per cent. of the outstanding mapping requests to a trusted third party. This has significantly increased resources, enabling RPA to remain on course to commence payment under the Single Payment Scheme in February 2006, in line with announcements made at the start of the year.

Single Farm Payment Scheme

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether payments under the single farm payment scheme in England and Wales will start by January 2006; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight: holding answer 8 November 2005
	The Rural Payments Agency is responsible for implementing the Single Payment Scheme and making payments in England. RPA announced in January 2005 that payments under the Single Payment Scheme in England would begin in February 2006. RPA remains on course to commence payments in February 2006.
	The Welsh Assembly Government is responsible for implementing the Single Payment Scheme in Wales. They have confirmed that they are on track to make payments to as many farmers as soon as possible after the opening of the payment window (1 December).

Stewardship Scheme

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people met the 31 August deadline for (a) higher and (b) entry level stewardship.

Jim Knight: The number of Environmental Stewardship applications received by the Rural Development Service as at 31 August were as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Entry Level Scheme 7,545 
			 Organic Entry Level Scheme 317 
			 Higher Level Scheme 221 
			 Organic Higher Level Scheme 7 
		
	
	Environmental Stewardship agreements can be made at any time. Monthly start dates are operated under for the purposes of Entry Level and Organic Entry Level agreements. For Higher Level agreements, applications received by 31 August are currently being processed with a view to introducing the first agreements from early next year.

Transport (Emissions)

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what change there has been in (a) road transport vehicle carbon dioxide emissions and (b) single occupancy car commuting from her Department against a baseline year of (i) 2003–04 and (ii) 2004–05.

Jim Knight: The following information relates to Defra and its executive agencies.
	
		(a) Road transport vehicle carbon dioxide emissions (tons)
		
			Percentage 
		
		
			  2002–03(2) -6,072 — 
			 (i) 2003–04 -5,403 -11 
			 (ii) 2004–05 -5,750 -5.3 
		
	
	(2) Baseline year
	
		(b)Single occupancy car commuting
		
			   Percentage 
		
		
			  2002–03(3) — 
			 (i) 2003–04 +1 
			 (ii) 2004–05 +1 
		
	
	(3) Baseline year.

Water Voles

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government is taking to maintain the population of water voles.

Jim Knight: The Government and its agencies are providing funding for a number of key projects and activities to maintain the population of water voles. These include:
	English Nature, Environment Agency, People's Trust For Endangered Species, and Royal Holloway, University of London have identified 13 sites in England that contain sustainable populations of water voles. These sites have been designated as national key sites and are managed sympathetically for the voles and contribute to a national monitoring scheme for the species. The project partners are also encouraging the sympathetic management of the countryside around these sites to allow the populations to expand.
	The Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, English Nature, Environment Agency, and Mammals Trust UK are studying the practicality and cost-effectiveness of mink control at a catchment scale in north Wiltshire. This project has involved a wide range of collaborators and volunteers to control mink and monitor water vole populations in three selected river catchments.
	The Environment Agency, English Nature, and Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, University of Oxford are producing an expanded and updated version of the Water Vole Conservation Handbook, which was first published in 1998. The new edition will contain a wealth of new material from case studies and will provide good practice guidance on the management of land where water voles are present.
	It is difficult to estimate the number of water voles with any great degree of accuracy, but the current best estimates are 875,000 in the UK, with 486,000 in England. A more comprehensive national monitoring scheme is currently being planned as part of the Tracking Mammals Partnership.

Wildfowl

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what regulations govern the release of wildfowl into the wild; and how many wildfowl have been released into the wild in each of the last five years.

Jim Knight: The term wildfowl" relates to all species of ducks and geese, and also swans (three species in England in winter). Only certain ducks and geese may be hunted. There are no specific regulations governing the release of native wildfowl into the wild. Only Mallard are released for the purposes of wildfowling. Mallard are native to England and they would not be covered by the provisions of section 14 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 which prohibits releases of species of birds not ordinarily resident in or a visitor to the European territory of any member state.
	The Game Conservancy Trust (GCT) record certain information about gamekeeping and shooting activities through the National Gamebag Census (NGC), a voluntary scheme established by GCT in 1961. The GCT has estimated that over the last 5 years, around one in 10 NGC shoots in England release ducks and the average number released per shoot in England is under 500.

TRANSPORT

Bus/Light Rail Use

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average cost of a bus ticket to Brighton from Bexhill-on-Sea will be in 2006 following changes to Government subsidies.

Derek Twigg: The Department does not forecast average ticket prices on particular bus routes. Fare levels are primarily a commercial decision by the operator concerned who will no doubt take into account a wide range of factors.
	Concessionary fares provision by local authorities will also be relevant. From 1 April 2006, people aged 60 and over and disabled people will be entitled to free off-peak travel on bus journeys within their local authority area and local authorities have discretion to work together to provide concessions on cross-border routes.

Bus/Light Rail Use

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport by how much the use of (a) bus and (b) light rail changed in (i) 2004 and (ii) 2005 to date compared with 2000 (A) in England and (B) broken down by region; and what the predicted level is for 2010.

Karen Buck: The information is given in the following table.
	
		
			  Percentage change from 2000–01 to: 
			 Region 2003–04 2004–05 2010–11 (forecast) 
		
		
			 Bus
			 North East -9 -13 n/a 
			 North West 0 -2 n/a 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber -6 -9 n/a 
			 East Midlands -2 -7 n/a 
			 West Midlands -8 -10 n/a 
			 East of England -8 -9 n/a 
			 South East -3 -3 n/a 
			 South West -2 -2 n/a 
			 England ex London -5 -7 n/a 
			 London 26 32 43 
			 England 6 7 n/a 
			 
			 Light Rail
			 North East 17 13 n/a 
			 North West 6 10 n/a 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 11 16 n/a 
			 East Midlands n/a n/a n/a 
			 West Midlands -5 -7 n/a 
			 England ex London 11 23 n/a 
			 London 28 35 138 
			 England 19 28 n/a 
			 
			 Bus and Light Rail
			 England ex London -4 -6 n/a 
			 London 26 32 47 
			 England 7 8 n/a 
		
	
	n/a = not available
	A forecast for passenger journeys in England outside London will be prepared, once the full impact of free concessionary fares for disabled travellers and those aged 60 and over can be properly assessed.

Bus/Light Rail Use

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many buses in operation offer easy access facilities; and what is his target for easy access facilities on buses.

Alistair Darling: Information provided by bus operators shows that 46 per cent. of full-size buses running on local routes are wheelchair accessible. This equates to 21,300 vehicles from a fleet size of 46,300 full size buses. The number of accessible buses is much greater in larger towns and cities, and in the case of London is virtually 100 per cent. PSV Accessibility Regulations require all large buses used on local or scheduled services to be wheelchair accessible by 1 January 2017.

Criminal Offences

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the criminal offences created in legislation sponsored by his Department between the end of the 2003–04 session and the end of April, broken down by Act.

Karen Buck: holding answer 14 November 2005
	The question is taken to refer to criminal offences created directly in primary (rather than subordinate) legislation sponsored by the Department for Transport which received Royal Assent in the period 1 October 2004 to 30 April 2005.
	The relevant legislative provisions are as follows.
	The Railways Act 2005
	(Royal Assent: 7 April 2005)
	1. Paragraph 11 (7) of Schedule 2 (transfer schemes) makes it an offence for a person intentionally to alter, suppress or destroy a document which he has been required to produce by notice under paragraph (4) (notice to produce specified documents or information).
	2. Paragraph 11 (8) of Schedule 3 (transfer of safety functions) makes it an offence for a person to contravene a requirement imposed by a notice under paragraph 11 (notice served by the Office of Rail Regulation for the purpose of obtaining information which that office needs for the carrying out of its safety functions) or for a person to use certain information disclosed to him in accordance with paragraph 11 other than for the purposes of the safety functions of that office.
	The Disability Discrimination Act 2005
	(Royal Assent: 7 April 2005)
	Section 8(2) of the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 adds a subsection (5) to section 49 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 to make it a criminal offence to pretend to be an inspector of rail vehicles.

Departmental Vehicles

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many vehicles his Department owns; and what the purpose, annual cost, type of fuel and average number of miles used per week is in each case.

Karen Buck: The requested information is provided in the following table.
	The annual costs and mileage incurred relate specifically to the unique operational environment in which our property centres operate.
	For example, the Highways Agency operate a large winter maintenance fleet and due to the harsh environment in which they operate have a disproportionately high running cost. Mileage data has not been provided for the salt loaders or for the snow blowers. The salt loaders, although road registered, rarely leave the depot and the snow blowers are transported to the site on the back of a lorry and may only get used once a season.
	The Maritime and Coastguard Agency vehicles are used mainly for transporting personnel and equipment in response to emergencies.
	Direct comparison between the costs and mileage incurred by DfT property centres is therefore not meaningful.
	
		Mobility and vehicle information service
		
			  Costs and mileage incurred 
		
		
			 Number of vehicles owned 30 
			 Vehicle purpose Disabled driver training and assistance 
			   
			 Fuel used  
			 Petrol 26 
			 Diesel 3 
			 Dual fuel 1 
			   
			 Annual cost Not available 
			 Average mileage per week 959 
		
	
	
		Driving Standards Agency
		
			  Costs and mileage incurred 
		
		
			 Number of vehicles owned 206 
			 Vehicle purpose Driver testing/examiner training and supervision 
			 Fuel used  
			 Petrol 185 
			 Diesel 11 
			 Dual fuel 10 
			   
			 Annual cost £525,132 
			 Average mileage per week 15,855 
		
	
	
		Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
		
			  Costs and mileage incurred 
		
		
			 Number of vehicles owned 11 
			 Vehicle purpose Automatic number plate reader vehicles: tax evasion monitoring and recording 
			 Fuel used  
			 Diesel 11 
			   
			 Annual cost £43,000 
			 Average mileage per week 594 
		
	
	
		Highways Agency
		
			  Costs and mileage incurred 
		
		
			 Number of vehicles owned 367 
			 Vehicle purpose Winter maintenance: salt spreaders, salt loaders and snow blowers 
			 Fuel used  
			 Diesel 367 
			   
			 Annual cost £19,600 
			 Average mileage per week 122 
		
	
	
		Maritime and Coastguard Agency
		
			  Costs and mileage incurred 
		
		
			 Number of vehicles owned 402 
			 Vehicle purpose Search and rescue 
			 Fuel used  
			 Diesel 402 
			   
			 Annual cost £424,000 
			 Average mileage per week 23,892 
		
	
	
		Vehicle and Operator Services Agency
		
			  Costs and mileage incurred 
		
		
			 Number of vehicles owned 258 
			 Vehicle purpose HGV/PSV road traffic enforcement(4), road traffic accident investigation, mobile office and workshop, pool vehicles, training aids, MOT incognito. 
			 Fuel used  
			 Petrol 46 
			 Diesel 159 
			 Dual fuel 53 
			   
			 Annual cost £478,534 
			 Average mileage per week 43,615 
		
	
	(4) Powers to stop, automatic number plate reader.

Mobile Phones

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the operation of the regulations introduced in December 2003 prohibiting the use of mobile phones while driving.

Stephen Ladyman: The police are responsible for the enforcement of the prohibition on the use of hand held mobile phones while driving. The Road Safety Bill, currently before Parliament, contains provisions to make the offence endorsable (3 penalty points) which also automatically raises the Fixed Penalty Notice to 60. If a case goes to court, the penalty on conviction will include penalty points and discretionary disqualification on top of the existing maximum fine of £1,000 (£2,500 in the case of a goods vehicle or a bus/coach driver).

Railways

Rob Marris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date the consultation on rail closure procedures will start; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: We expect to consult on the closure guidance in due course.

Railways

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) a.m. peak and (b) p.m. peak figures for (i) passengers in excess capacity and (ii) the total number of passengers were for London commuting service trains servicing Milton Keynes as measured in the most recent survey.

Derek Twigg: For the Milton Keynes/Northampton to Euston service group, in the 'AM' peak, Passengers in Excess of Capacity (PIXC) is 0.2 per cent. The total number of passengers using this service group was 6559.
	For the Euston to Milton Keynes/Northampton service group, in the 'PM' peak, PIXC is 0.5 per cent. The total number of passengers using this service group was 6,748.

Railways

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many rail penalty fares were (a) issued, (b) appealed and (c) successfully appealed in the last year for which figures are available.

Derek Twigg: The Department for Transport does not keep records of how many penalty fares are charged, or appeals made. This is a matter for the train operators concerned.

Taxis

Geoffrey Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish the draft Taxi Access Regulations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995; and if he will make a statement.

Karen Buck: We are currently developing a technical specification to set the design parameters for accessible taxis. To assist this process, the Department held a seminar for stakeholders from industry, organisations representing disabled people and licensing authorities in June to discuss the complex issues around taxi accessibility. The views expressed at the seminar will be used to shape a consultation package.
	We do not yet have a timetable for introduction of taxi accessibility regulations but the current situation is that local licensing authorities remain free to introduce their own accessibility policies and many have done so already.

Transport Modernisation

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps the Government are taking to modernise (a) buses and (b) trains.

Karen Buck: Outside London, bus services are deregulated and the provision of vehicles is primarily a matter for operators. In London, Transport for London can determine the standard of vehicle used by contracted operators. A survey carried out by the Confederation of Passenger Transport UK (CPT) of its members found a reduction in the average fleet age of buses from 7.5 years in 2002 to 7.2 years in 2004.
	On the railways, some 4,500 new carriages have been introduced into service over the last five years. This has meant replacing around 40 per cent. of all carriages, with the result that the UK rolling stock fleet is now among the youngest in Europe.

Transport Plan

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the extent to which the 10-Year Plan for Transport of July 2000 has been implemented, with particular reference to the (a) 50 per cent. growth in passenger rail services and (b) 80 per cent. growth in freight by 2010.

Karen Buck: The implementation of the 10-Year Plan is now being taken forward by the Future of Transport White Paper published in July 2004. The current PSA target for rail, as outlined in the White Paper, is
	to improve punctuality and reliability of rail services to at least 85 per cent. by 2006 with further improvements by 2008".
	This was agreed for the three year period relating to the Spending Review 2004.
	Figures on rail passenger usage and rail freight are published quarterly in National Rail Trends (published by the Strategic Rail Authority up to 24 June 2005 and thereafter by the Office of Rail Regulation) and in the Department's annual publication Transport Statistics Great Britain.

Transport Security

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps the Government are taking to improve security on transport.

Karen Buck: Mature and proportionate security regimes are maintained across all security regulated transport modes. These are kept under continuing review, and take account of new and emerging threats with, currently, a particular focus on transport soft targets".
	Further information is available in the 'Transport Security and Contingencies Directorate Annual Report (April 2004–March 2005)', a copy of which is in the House Library.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Consultants/Special Advisers

Michael Penning: To ask the Leader of the House how many (a) consultants and (b) special advisers were employed by his Office in each year since 1997; what the cost of each was in each year; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: The information requested is as follows.
	Consultants:
	The Office of the Leader of the House of Commons employed one consultant on IT issues during August 2005 at a cost of £3,760.
	Special Advisers:
	Since 2003, the Government have published on an annual basis the names and overall cost of special advisers and the number in each payband. For the most recent information I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister on 21 July 2005, Official Report, 158–162WS.
	Information on the numbers of special advisers prior to 2003 was provided at regular intervals and this information will be available in the Library of the House.

WALES

Drug and Alcohol Abuse

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures are being taken to tackle drug and alcohol abuse in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Ainger: Wales is tackling drug and alcohol misuse by the delivery of its national substance misuse strategy. The Welsh Assembly Government has significantly increased funding for this strategy from £3.3 million in 2002–03 to £15.4 million in 2005–06. The strategy in Wales is implemented at a local level by the 22 Community Safety Partnerships via the delivery of their action plans.

Pensioners (Cold Weather)

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with Members of the National Assembly for Wales regarding provision for those over 65 years to ensure that they are not adversely affected by the cold in winter 2005–06; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Ainger: I regularly meet with the Assembly Ministers to discuss a range of issues such as provisions for those over 65 affected by the cold winter months.
	The Welsh Assembly Government have policies and actions in place to reduce the impact of colder winter weather on the health of older people. For instance, it funds the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme, which provides the installation of central heating in homes, and runs the annual Keep Well This Winter" campaign. This campaign encourages older people to take extra measures to look after their health during the winter such as having the flu vaccination, eating properly and taking appropriate exercise, and by keeping warm and safe.
	In addition, in winter 2004–05 over 464,000 households in Wales benefited from winter fuel payments of at least £200. Out of these households, 110,000 with someone aged over 80 received £300 winter fuel payment.

Police Service

Peter Law: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received concerning the level of funding for the Police Service in Wales.

Nick Ainger: The Government recently consulted on options for change to the grant distribution formula, to which all police authorities in England and Wales were given the opportunity to respond.
	Welsh Police Authorities received good settlements this year, each receiving an increase of 3.75 percent. over 2004–05. This is in line with the minimum increase guaranteed for all police authorities in England and Wales. Details of the settlement for 2006–07 and 2007–08 will be announced in late November or early December.

Police Service

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with police forces in Wales on improving road safety; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Ainger: Under the Government's road safety strategy we are working towards a 40 percent. reduction in deaths and serious injuries by 2010. The Road Safety Bill, currently being considered in the other place, addresses drink-driving, speeding, and driver training and testing. It also covers driver fatigue, vehicle safety and driver licensing.
	The Welsh Assembly Government have provided more than £35 million in local road safety grant in the last five years. Tamsin Dunwoody, Deputy Assembly Minister for Economic Development and Transport, is currently meeting Welsh Chief Constables, to discuss measures for improving road safety.

Welsh Language Newspaper

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if the Government will take steps under the provisions of the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages to facilitate and support the creation of a daily newspaper in the Welsh language.

Peter Hain: Promotion of the Welsh language is primarily a matter for the National Assembly for Wales and the Welsh Language Board. I am aware of recent moves to establish a Welsh language daily newspaper and that the promoters are in discussion with the Assembly and its sponsored bodies.
	The Welsh Language Board has encouraged all those with an interest to contribute to the current review of the charter.

Youth Crime

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on youth crime in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Ainger: The Government is supporting a wide-ranging programme to tackle youth offending and to prevent children being drawn into crime. This includes tackling deprivation and working with families and education services, along with ongoing implementation of the 10-year anti-drugs strategy. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister recently announced a major new drive to increase the take-up of parenting contracts and orders, as part of our strategy for fostering respect in society.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the British Government's attempts to tackle poppy production in the Nangarhar area of Afghanistan.

Kim Howells: I have been asked to reply.
	The UK, as lead nation on counter narcotics (CN), remains committed to supporting the Afghan Government in the implementation of their comprehensive 2005 CN Implementation Plan and in updating their National Drug Control Strategy. We continue to work with the Afghan Government and others to increase activity in all areas of their strategy. As well as co-ordinating the activity of international partners, we are providing substantial financial and practical support—more than £270 million over the next three years. I refer to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton (Mr. Gibb) on the counter narcotics programme in Afghanistan on 6 June 2005, Official Report, column 235W, which includes support to Nangarhar.
	In August, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) announced provisional cultivation figures for 2004–05 from their annual poppy survey, which showed that cultivation had dropped by 21 per cent. to 104,000 hectares in Afghanistan. Nangarhar saw the greatest decrease, with opium poppy cultivation dropping by 96 per cent. to 1,093 hectares. Success can be partly attributed to an effective Government of Afghanistan communications campaign in late 2004–05, which we supported, alongside Governor-led eradication initiatives and a market adjustment to high levels of cultivation in 2004. UNODC are due to publish their final report in the next few weeks, but these figures are unlikely to change.

Colombian Refugees

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the number of Colombians (a) internally displaced and (b) seeking refuge in neighbouring countries in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: DFID relies on statistics compiled by other organisations rather than its own assessment of internally displaced persons in Colombia and those seeking refuge in neighbouring countries. It is difficult to establish totally accurate statistics in each year since 2001.
	According to the Colombian Government, an estimated 1,148,000 people were internally displaced over the period 2000–03. The Colombian non-government organisation (NGO), Consultancy for Human Rights and Development (CODHES) reports 1,247,000 internally displaced persons over the same period. CODHES reported some 287,500 displacements in 2004, and have reported increasing numbers in the first six months of 2005. According to Government figures, the total number of internally displaced people (IDPs) in Colombia is 1.6 million as of June 2005. Unofficial estimates suggest the actual number could be over 3,400,000.
	The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that there are currently 280,000 displaced Colombians in Ecuador (30,000 refugee and asylum seekers), 101,500 in Panama (1,500 refugee and asylum seekers) and 274,000 in Venezuela (4,000 refugee and asylum seekers).

Departmental Assets

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list the 10 most valuable (a) movable and (b) immovable assets owned by his Department.

Gareth Thomas: The list of DFID's 10 most valuable assets recorded in the departments asset register, underpinning our 2004–05 resource accounts balance sheet are:
	
		
			 Immovable Net book value (£000) 
		
		
			 1. Palace Street, HQ 27,668 
			 2. Abercrombie House, HQ 7,830 
			 3. Overseas Property, India 605 
			 4. Overseas Property, Bangladesh 368 
			 5. Overseas Properties, Malawi 323 
			 6. 20 Victoria Street, HQ 306 
			 7. Overseas property, Zimbabwe 201 
			 8. Overseas property, Zimbabwe 198 
			 9. Overseas property, Rwanda 186 
			 10. Overseas property, Zimbabwe 148 
		
	
	
		
			 Movable Net book value (£000) 
		
		
			 1. Caris System 309 
			 2. PABX Switch 111 
			 3. Armoured Vehicle 106 
			 4. Generator and Cabling 98 
			 5. Air Condition Plant Carrier 87 
			 6. Armoured Vehicle 80 
			 7. Infozone, Palace Street 79 
			 8. Armoured Land cruiser 71 
			 9. LAN 68 
			 10. Generators 51

Disaster Relief

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the World Food Programme's (WFP) work with regards to the (a) Asian tsunami disaster and (b) the earthquake in Pakistan; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: The World Food Programme's (WFP) early intervention in tsunami-affected countries is considered to have contributed significantly to the improvement of the humanitarian situation. The scale of the disaster posed particular challenges in terms of assessment of food needs. In the early stages of the response, the WFP adopted an appropriately broad approach to food distribution.
	As host to the common logistics services, the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) and United Nations Joint Logistics Service (UNJLC), the WFP also played an important role in underpinning the UN's logistical operation. Early inefficiencies with the UNHAS operation were eventually ironed out, and the UNJLC is considered to have performed adequately in a complex operating environment. On behalf of the Government of Indonesia, other agencies and non-government organisations (NGO)s, the WFP launched an unprecedented non-food logistical operation to deliver 600,000 metric tonnes of reconstruction supplies to Aceh and Nias, being funded from the multi-donor trust fund for Aceh and North Sumatra.
	DFID support to the WFP (including UNHAS and UNJLC) in the tsunami response amounted to £3.5 million in Indonesia and Sri Lanka, with the further contribution of five helicopters and a fuel farm to support operations in Indonesia.
	Following the South Asia earthquake, the World Food Programme deployed to the field quickly and has since been distributing food to the affected population through a variety of channels. Although they face challenges including extensive logistics and access constraints, the WFP's ongoing food distributions, in support of the Government of Pakistan activities in this sector, are an important humanitarian intervention for the affected population.
	The WFP is also host to the common services, the UNHAS and the UN Joint Logistics Centre (UNJLC), and is providing a special operation for common logistics services including portable storage units and common trucking for the International Community.
	To date, DFID has provided financial and in-kind support to the WFP common services operation totalling £3.1 million to date. In addition, the UK Government have deployed three RAF Chinook helicopters in support of the UNHAS operation.

Disaster Relief

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will ensure that it is a condition of the aid provided that public buildings being rebuilt in Pakistan using UK aid are earthquake-proof.

Hilary Benn: Good building codes exist in Pakistan. The challenge is how these are carried through into practice. DFID has also funded research into building codes and post-earthquake reconstruction recommendations. DFID incorporates work on building codes and building code implementation within a broader approach to Disaster Risk Reduction, which seeks to reduce the vulnerability and increase the disaster preparedness of poor people and Governments. In Pakistan, DFID is an invited member of the Steering Group helping to advise the Pakistan Government's Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA). This includes encouraging appropriate design for reconstructing public buildings in affected areas and improving the knowledge of building codes for engineers, contractors and planners involved in post-earthquake reconstruction.
	Buildings can only be made earthquake-resistant, not earthquake-proof, even with very significant expenditure. Good implementation consists of appropriate design and construction based on the seismic risk.

Engineering Students

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which countries sponsored engineering students through the British Council Education UK partnership in the last year for which figures are available; what the total budget allocated to (a) all training and (b) engineering-based training was; and what the (i) titles and (ii) length of the engineering courses undertaken were.

Gareth Thomas: The information supplied by the British Council notes that the Education UK Partnership is a membership organisation, comprising 252 UK education institutions i.e. universities, colleges, independent colleges and schools and the British Council. The programme provides marketing services in 18 countries, which support the partners' individual marketing, recruitment and related strategies. Data is held at each individual higher institution and is not readily available from the institutions themselves.
	Nevertheless, using the information from the British Council, DFID has extracted some available data on overseas engineering and technology students studying in the UK. This information is for the year 2003–04 and the total number of engineering and technology students studying in the UK was 39,575 and were from 192 developing and developed countries of which, 3910 were from China, 3000 from Greece, 2515 from Malaysia, 2320 from India and 1480 from France.
	The total number of overseas students with no award or financial backing was 22,535.
	Further information of this scheme is available from the British Council.

HIV/AIDS

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the change in the incidence of HIV/AIDS cases in Eastern Europe; what projects to address this issue his Department has (a) set up and (b) funded in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: DFID does not make independent assessments of HIV and AIDS but supports the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) in their assessments of the progress of the epidemic globally, including in Eastern Europe and the wider Europe and Central Asia region. At a country-level, DFID is involved in supporting governments to strengthen national surveillance and data collection systems to ensure better and more accurate information on the patterns of the epidemic.
	In Eastern Europe, DFID has been funding a regional HIV and AIDS project since 2003. This is a three-year project operating in Serbia and Montenegro with a total investment of £1.5 million. The project is working with relevant government ministries to develop national HIV strategies for the prevention, treatment and care of vulnerable populations, while at the same time supporting non-governmental organisations (NGO)s and civil societies to set up demonstration projects with drug users and sex workers. National research institutes are also being supported to develop evidence to show the feasibility and acceptability of effective HIV prevention activities. Lessons from the project are being disseminated to other countries.
	DFID recognises that the Europe and Central Asia region has one of the fastest growing HIV epidemics globally and that regional action is urgently needed to tackle this. To this end, DFID is also working with governments and regional partners in Russia, Ukraine and Central Asia to address HIV and AIDS.

Ministerial Travel

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many (a) flights and (b) helicopter flights have been taken by Ministers within his Department for (i) UK and (ii) overseas visits in each year since 1995; on how many occasions (A) charter flights were used and (B) first and club class tickets were obtained; and if he will indicate who accompanied the Ministers on each trip.

Hilary Benn: All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code" and Travel by Ministers", copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.
	The information is not readily available in respect of domestic travel for the period in question without incurring a disproportionate cost.
	In respect of overseas travel by Ministers, since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. The list indicates when non-scheduled flights were used, (and shows how many Officials accompanied Ministers in those circumstances). The Government have also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House. These report information reaching back to 1995–96. Information for 2005–06 will be published after the end of the financial year.

Nepal

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the impact of Nepal's conflict on children; what projects to address this issue his Department has (a) set up and (b) funded in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: The conflict in Nepal has had very serious consequences for large numbers of children in Nepal, exacerbated by the extreme poverty of many children and their families. Children have been killed, injured or subject to rape and other sexual abuse by both parties to the conflict, and have been forcibly recruited by the Maoists to provide logistical support, including for frontline military operations. There is frequent disruption by the Maoists of schools in many parts of the country, notably through abductions of children and teachers. Widespread poverty and lack of legal employment opportunities in Nepal continues to result in many girls being trafficked to India.
	DFID's knowledge of the impact of the conflict on children draws extensively on reports by groups such as Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict (to which DFID has provided funding) and human rights organisations such as Human Rights Watch.
	DFID is providing £20 million over the period 2004–09 towards the Government of Nepal's national primary education programme and £50 million over the period 2004–10 towards its national health programmes, which have specific targets relating to reducing infant and child mortality. Despite the conflict, both these Government programmes provide essential services and have wide reach throughout the country,
	including areas controlled by the Maoists.
	DFID provided £720,000 to Save the Children between 2003 and 2005 for a programme in Nepal for children affected by armed conflict. The programme helped establish protection committees and child protection officers in those districts most impacted by the conflict. It also created information systems to monitor child movements, provided direct support to 10,000 separated and vulnerable children and support for the repair and maintenance of schools and health posts.
	Through the Global Conflict Prevention Pool, to which DFID contributes, the British Government are providing £800,000 in the current financial year 2005–06 to the Nepal Mission of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. This mission aims to curb all human rights abuses in the country including those committed against children.

Population Growth (African Lakes)

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the environmental impact of rapid population growth on lakes in African countries; what projects to address this impact his Department has (a) set up and (b) funded in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The Department for International Development (DFID) has not undertaken any specific assessment of the environmental impact of population growth on African lakes. DFID supports programmes that integrate consideration of environmental issues (including the impact of population growth) within planning for overall development and poverty reduction.
	For example, DFID has supported an Integrated Lake Management project in Uganda, which recently helped the Government to decentralise natural resource management and empower local communities to co-manage these resources, improving the livelihoods of the poor around these lakes. In Kenya, DFID is helping the National Environmental Management Authority to effectively implement environmental regulations which will help to mitigate negative impact of human development and expansion around the country's lakes.
	DFID is also a significant contributor to the Global Environment Facility. This Facility encompasses support to improving management of freshwater resources under threat from challenges such as population growth. The Lake Victoria Environmental
	Management Project is one such example.

Sudan

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid the UK is providing to the displaced population in the Darfur region of Sudan.

Hilary Benn: Since September 2003, the Department for International Development has provided over £92 million in humanitarian funding to Darfur through UN agencies and non-governmental organisations. These funds have provided assistance to displaced populations in Darfur and Eastern Chad as well as assisting resident populations, covering, among others, shelter, food and nutrition, non-food items, water and sanitation and immediate health care projects.

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

Equal Pay

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what the average difference in pay was between full-time male and female company directors in each year since 2001.

Meg Munn: Figures from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings from the Office for National Statistics show that in 2005 the median hourly pay (excluding bonuses) for full-time male company directors was £47.09, for women this figure was £43.84.
	Unfortunately, reliable figures for 2001–04 are not available due to small sample sizes.

Equal Pay

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what assessment she has made of the implications of the gender pay gap for levels of female employment.

Meg Munn: I have not made any specific assessment of the implications of the gender pay gap for levels of female employment. The employment rate for women in the UK currently stands at 70 per cent. I am pleased to see that the gender pay gap has now fallen to 13.2 per cent. from 14.5 per cent. last year.
	It is important that we tackle the gender pay and give women real choice about balancing work with caring responsibilities. This is why we introduced the Work and Families Bill in October, which will extend the scope of the flexible working law to carers of adults.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Tours

Kevan Jones: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how much money has been made from the provision of tours of the House during the summer recess.

Nick Harvey: Tour ticket costs during the summer are designed to cover costs and not to make a surplus. This year, due to the impact of the works on the Chamber Screen and in Westminster Hall, they were held to 2004 levels and as a result a small deficit of around £39,000 was expected. However following the 7 July terrorist attacks in London, visitor numbers slumped from an anticipated 103,000 to a final total of 77,873. This, together with the increased cost of security resulting from the attacks, produced a deficit of £320,000.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

British Olympic Association

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the evidence from the Chief Executive of the British Olympic Association to the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee on 1 November, which voting members of the British Olympic Association were contacted by UK Sport; who the UK Sport representative was; and what the outcome was.

Richard Caborn: I can confirm that neither the Chair nor any other representative of UK Sport initiated any contact with any voting member of the BOA regarding the election of the new Chair.

Consultants

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps the Department takes to ensure that consultancies do not claim excessive expenses while working for the Department and its agencies.

David Lammy: When undertaking a procurement exercise to engage a consultant or a consultancy firm, DCMS includes within its Invitation to Tender documentation tendering instructions and a Travel and Subsistence Appendix. The instructions specifically ask the tenderers to provide a fixed price and to include all other expenses, the appendix sets out the Department's travel and subsistence rates which we insist consultants abide by. Travel within the London area is expected to be covered within the fixed price of the contract's value.

Consultants

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list departmental projects conducted by consultants in each year since 2000; what the cost was in each case; and what the total cost of employing consultants was in each year.

David Lammy: The projects undertaken by consultants in each of the years are as follows:
	
		
			 Consultants Project £ 
			 2000   
		
		
			 Lorien NDPB Review Programme (Framework)  
			 PKF NDPB Review Programme (Framework) 223,602 
			 Capita NDPB Review Programme (Framework)  
			 PKF BBC's Financial Reporting 27,300 
			 ORC International Staff Survey Report 13,130 
			 Small miscellaneous projects aggregate  22,600 
			 Total  286,632 
			
			 2001   
			 McKinseys Culture Online Formation 1,340,000 
			 AHL Ltd. Internal Audit Resources 70,000 
			 Organisational Consulting Horse Race Levy Scheme 40,000 
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers Commonwealth Games Review 58,500 
			 AJW Associates Coaching Task Force 10,000 
			 Small miscellaneous projects aggregate  37,100 
			 Total  1,457,100 
			
			 2002   
			 Kingshurst Consulting Group Capital of Culture Analysis 30,480 
			 Richard Lambert BBC News 24 requirement 44,700 
			 MORI BBC News 24 requirement  
			 Robert Palmer Capital of Culture Adviser 30,000 
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers E-Commerce Impact Study 43,750 
			 Stanton Marris Touchstone Project 85,000 
			 Hay Group Skill Audit 136,195 
			 Atkins Management Consultants Financial Adviser—Apethorpe Hall 17,290 
			 Experian Cultural Facilities Register 42,400 
			 Small miscellaneous projects aggregate  28,600 
			 Total  458,415 
			
			 2003   
			 Kingshurst Consulting Group Capital of Culture shortlist 16,875 
			 Health Food and Safety Solutions Fitness for Purposes 16,000 
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers London 2012 Costs and Benefits 38,000 
			 Gillian Ashmore Review of Heritage Protection 50,000 
			 Odgers, Ray and Berndtson Public Appointments Advice 50,000 
			 Europe Economics BBC Online Review  
			 Spectrum Strategy Consultants BBC Online Adviser 332,000 
			 Philip Graf BBC Online Review Co-ordinator  
			 ASK Europe plc 360 Degree Feedback 130,070 
			 Denis Allnut Tourist Data Project 15,750 
			 Small miscellaneous projects aggregate  23,450 
			 Total  672,145 
			
			 2004   
			 PA Consulting Local Communities Project 151,410 
			 PKF Historic Environment Review 40,090 
			 The Gartner Group Benchmarking of IT Services 29,100 
			 Patrick Barwise BBC New Digital Services—TV 161,300 
			 Tim Gardam BBC New Digital Services—Radio  
			 Shared Intelligence Peer Reviews 61,300 
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers Efficiency Review 89,410 
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers Olympic Cost Review 114,080 
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers Olympic Games Impact Study 72,000 
			 AHL Ltd. Audit Services 23,100 
			 Ubiqus BBC Charter Review 42,000 
			 Angela Watson and Associates Cultural Services Framework 40,000 
			 Eftec Olympic Games Impact Study 128,530 
			 Morris Hargreaves McIntyre Museums Education Strategy 12,000 
			 Deloitte and Touche Sports Strategy 24,000 
			 Odgers, Ray and Berndtson Headhunting 18,000 
			 Small miscellaneous projects aggregate  26,000 
			 Total  1,032,320 
			
			 2005   
			 Opsis Renewal Consulting Framework for NDPB Reviews 66,900 
			 Hedra plc NDPB Governance 47,660 
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers Licensing Act 29,500 
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers Sponsorship of British Library 24,000 
			 KPMG Olympic Games Validation 255,000 
			 Ubiqus BBC requirement 38,500 
			 Veredus Public Appointments Advice 14,000 
			 Small miscellaneous projects aggregate  42,500 
			 Total  518,060 
		
	
	Outside legal firms employed by DCMS have not been included in the list.

Consultants

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what mechanisms are in place to assess the effectiveness of consultant-led projects in her Department; what sanctions are available to penalise consultants who run unsuccessful projects; how many projects conducted by consultants were assessed as unsuccessful in each year since 2000; and what sanctions were imposed.

David Lammy: My Department now operates a system in which all contracts over £10,000 in value are subject to an evaluation and report by the contract managers on the performance of the work.
	All DMCS consultancy projects are carried out under either the Department's own terms and conditions or those of the Office of Government Commerce's (Buying Solutions) Services Catalogue (S-Cat).
	This allows two courses of action to be taken should a project become unsuccessful:
	Terminate the contract without notice and withhold payment of any work that is not carried out successfully.
	Arrange for the project to be carried out by alternative means and recover from the consultant the cost of obtaining the alternative service.
	There have been no circumstances since 2000 when DCMS has been required to invoke any damage or break clauses under either procurement route.

Correspondence

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she expects Ofcom to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Mid Dorset and North Poole dated 26 May, passed to Ofcom by her Department.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 11 November 2005
	The hon. Member's letter was replied to on 14 June 2005 by the Office of Communications (Ofcom).

Correspondence

Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she will reply to the letter dated 1 September from the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood, ref CMS 22294/DC.

James Purnell: I wrote to my right hon. Friend for Birmingham, Ladywood on 11 November 2005.

Digital Switchover

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what is her latest estimate of the date by which households across Pendle constituency will be able to receive digital terrestrial broadcasts.

James Purnell: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has confirmed the regional timetable for digital switchover; it will take place between 2008 and 2012 by ITV region in the following order:
	
		
			  Region 
		
		
			 2008 Border 
			 2009 West Country, HTV Wales, Granada 
			 2010 HTV West, Grampian, Scottish Television 
			 2011 Yorkshire, Anglia, Central 
			 2012 Meridian, Carlton/LWT (London), Tyne Tees, Ulster 
		
	
	Note:
	Further details can be found at www.digitaltelevision.gov.uk
	Digital Switchover will enable coverage for Digital Terrestrial Television to reach the same level as that of the current analogue signals. It will take place in Pendle (Granada region) in 2009.

Licensing Act

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the impact of the Licensing Act on performances in schools and hospitals; and if she will make a statement.

James Purnell: The Government believe that the impact of the Licensing Act 2003 on schools, hospitals, and similar venues will be positive. The organisers of private performances at such venues do not require licences under the present licensing framework, and will not do so under the new regime introduced by the 2003 Act. Public entertainment licences are required in respect of performances for which the general public may buy tickets, under both the old and new regimes. The new regime introduces much greater flexibility and accountability in the application processes for public entertainment and other forms of licence.

Licensing Act

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidance the Government have provided on licensing appeals to magistrates courts under the Licensing Act 2003.

James Purnell: It would not be appropriate for the Government to issue guidance to the Courts on dealing with appeals. The Government have, however, discussed this matter with the Magistrates Association and the Justices Clerks Society through the Department for Constitutional Affairs, and has offered whatever support has been sought to assist the courts in establishing their arrangements for dealing with appeals.

Licensing Act

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate the Government have made of the number of licensing applications made under the Licensing Act 2003 that have been considered by (a) magistrates courts, (b) Crown courts, (c) the High Court and (d) the Court of Appeal; and what assessment she has made of the impact of the number of appeals on the court system.

James Purnell: Appeals against licensing authorities' decisions are made to magistrates courts. There is no appeal to the Crown court, the High Court and the Court of Appeal would consider only requests for Judicial Review.
	My Department estimates that there may be up to 1350 appeals to magistrates' courts during the transitional period; 540 in the year following the introduction of the new licensing regime, and up to 360 a year thereafter. These estimates were included in the public consultation document concerning fee regulations to be made under the Licensing Act 2003.

Licensing Act

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidance the Department has issued on the grounds for appealing a Licensing Act 2003 licensing appeal decision of the magistrates court to the Crown court.

James Purnell: My Department has not issued guidance on this issue. The Licensing Act 2003 places no limitations on the grounds for appeal, so long as appeals are made within the time limits specified. It is for the courts to decide on the legitimacy or otherwise of the grounds for appeals, in the light of general case and common law.

Olympic Games

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions her Department has had with the London Development Authority regarding businesses in the Marshgate Lane area being relocated to make way for Olympic development; how many of these businesses have reached agreement over relocation; how many have appointed advisers regarding relocation negotiations; what the situation of the remaining businesses is; and when she expects all agreements to be completed.

Tessa Jowell: There are 274 businesses in the Olympic Park area that need to relocate (96 of these are in or adjacent to Marshgate Lane).
	The London Development Agency (LDA) is engaging with each business to understand their relocation requirements and to discuss with them the LDA's offer to acquire their premises by agreement. This is the LDA's preferred approach to land acquisition.
	More than 150 businesses have appointed advisers and the LDA is actively encouraging businesses who have not yet done so to appoint advisors as soon as possible. The LDA has reached in-principle agreements with around 30 firms.
	The aim is to complete the final agreements with businesses by the end of 2006 to allow sufficient time for relocation. The LDA has compulsory purchase powers in cases where individual agreements are not reached.

Olympic Games

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much of the proposed Olympic Park site is (a) greenfield and (b) brownfield land; and how much is planned to be (a) greenfield and (b) brownfield land after the games are completed.

Richard Caborn: The Olympic Park site as defined in the Olympic and Legacy planning permissions for the construction, operation and legacy of the Olympic and Paralympic Games comprises 273 hectares.
	Of this, 100 hectares are currently open space, comprising green space and landscaped land. This land will be augmented to provide 127 hectares of open space after the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Of the existing 100 hectares of open space, currently only 76 hectares are fully accessible. After the games, all 127 hectares of open space will be accessible.
	173 hectares within the Olympic Park site are currently developed space (either brownfield or occupied). There will be no brownfield sites in the Olympic Park after 2012 as they will all have been landscaped into new open space or developed.
	The following table summarises the existing and proposed land use for the Olympic Park:
	
		
			  Built (hectares) Open space (hectares) 
			  Area Percentage Area Percentage 
		
		
			 Existing 173 63 100 37 
			 Proposed (post games legacy) 146 53 127 47

Olympic Games

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the composition of the Olympic Delivery Authority Board will be; and what criteria will be used when selecting members.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 28 October 2005
	Our expectation is that the Board of the Olympic Delivery Authority will comprise a Chair and between seven and 11 members whose expertise will be relevant to the nature of the authority's functions and to the places in which it exercises them. The selection criteria will encompass the normal skills required of the members of the Boards of non-departmental public bodies plus the specific skills that the role specifications for each position on the Board will require. The composition of the Board and the role specifications will be determined following consultation with the Chair when he/she is appointed but we expect that the Board will include among its members experts in the management and procurement of large construction projects.

Television Licences

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the annual average number of people given prison sentences for not paying their television licence was over the last five years; and what the average annual cost of that process was in each year.

Fiona Mactaggart: I have been asked to reply.
	The information on the annual number of people given prison sentences for not paying their television licence over the last five years is in the following table, as recorded on the Prison Service IT system. The Prison Service does not collect data relating to the costs of keeping prisoners in custody by offence type.
	
		Receptions into prison of people given prison sentences for using a TV without a licence by year—England and Wales
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2000 36 
			 2001 30 
			 2002 14 
			 2003 20 
			 2004 28

Television Licences

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people in Leeds, North-West have been prosecuted for not having a television licence in each of the last five years.

Fiona Mactaggart: holding answer 3 November 2005
	I have been asked to reply.
	The information from the Home Office Court Proceedings database on the number of people proceeded against at magistrates courts in West Yorkshire police force area for offences under the Wireless Telegraphy Acts 1949 to 1969 (mainly television licence evasion), 1999–2003 is provided in the table.
	It is not possible to identify those prosecutions in Leeds, North-West as the data are not collected at this level of detail. Court statistics for 2004 will be available in late November.
	
		Persons proceeded against at magistrates courts for offences under the Wireless Telegraphy Acts 1949 to 1967(5), West Yorkshire police force area, 1999 to 2003(6)
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1999 6,025 
			 2000 9,535 
			 2001 5,975 
			 2002 6,612 
			 2003 5,822 
		
	
	(5) Mainly television licence evasion.
	(6) These data are on the principal offence basis.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Asylum and Immigration Appeals

Christopher Chope: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many asylum and immigration appeals lodged prior to 4 April are still outstanding; how many have been determined in each month since that date; and when the outstanding cases are expected to be resolved.

Bridget Prentice: The latest provisional information available from the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT) indicates that, at the end of March 2005, (a) 16,300 outstanding asylum appeals, (b) 10,500 immigration appeals (comprising in-country and entry clearance appeals) and (c) 8,600 family visitor appeals were outstanding before the Immigration Appellate Authority (IAA), and the Immigration Appeal Tribunal (IAT).
	All outstanding work before the IAA and the IAT was transferred to an appropriate stage of the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT) following its commencement on 4 April 2005.
	Outstanding cases are those either listed and awaiting hearing before an immigration judge, or appeals that have been heard and that await determination by the immigration judge.
	The latest provisional figures available from the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT) indicate that, at the end of June 2005, the numbers of outstanding asylum and immigration appeals determined in each month from April 2005 to June 2005, and which were lodged prior to 4 April 2005, are as follows:
	
		
			 2005 Asylum appeals Immigration appeals 
		
		
			 April 3,528 2,875 
			 May 3,025 2,514 
			 June 2,194 2,488 
		
	
	The transitional arrangements for the treatment of outstanding asylum and immigration appeals, prior to the commencement of the AIT, are set out in the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Act 2004 (Commencement No. 5 and Transitional Provisions) Order 2005 (SI 2005/565).
	At present it is not possible to specify the number of outstanding appeals, lodged prior to 4 April 2005, which remain to be determined, nor the estimated time for those cases to pass fully through the system, without incurring disproportionate costs.

Asylum and Immigration Appeals

Jim Sheridan: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many asylum appeals are outstanding in Scotland.

Bridget Prentice: The Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT) considers outstanding cases to be those either listed and awaiting hearing before an immigration judge, or appeals that have been heard and that await determination by the immigration judge.
	The latest provisional figures from the AIT show that, as at 15 November 2005, there were 125 asylum appeals outstanding in its Glasgow hearing centre.

Asylum and Immigration Appeals

Jim Sheridan: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many immigration appeals have been held in Scotland in 2005.

Bridget Prentice: Information available from the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT) shows that, in the period from 1 January 2005 to 30 September 2005, 526 substantive immigration hearings (comprising both entry clearance and in-country cases) were heard in its Glasgow hearing centre.

Departmental Assets

Michael Penning: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will list the 10 most valuable (a) movable and (b) immovable assets owned by her Department.

Bridget Prentice: The 10 most valuable moveable assets owned by the Department as at 31 March 2005 are listed as follows:
	
		
			  £000 
		
		
			 LIBRA 12,084 
			   
			 Furniture Pool 4,871 
			   
			 Information Commissioner Casework Management System 3,742 
			   
			 LINK ITIP  
			 Southside Server 2,861 
			 Central Criminal Court 2,513 
			 Southwark Crown Court 2,364 
			 Inner London Crown Court 1,969 
			 Manchester Crown and County Courts 1,935 
			 Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court 1,868 
			 Snaresbrook Crown Court 1,638 
		
	
	The 10 most valuable immoveable assets owned by the Department as at 31 March 2005 are listed as follows:
	Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London
	Liverpool Combined Court Centre
	Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court
	Southwark Crown Court
	Bristol Crown Court
	Wood Green Crown Court, London
	Blackfriars Crown Court
	Sheffield Combined Court
	Inner London Sessions House, Newington Causeway
	Newcastle upon Tyne Combined Court
	For commercial reasons I am not able to give individual valuations for each site but the total net book value of these sites is circa £600 million.

CABINET OFFICE

Departmental Staff

Michael Penning: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many staff in his Department were (a) civil servants, (b) contractors and (c) other staff in each year since 1997.

Jim Murphy: The figures for civil servants are published in Civil Service Statistics. Table C of Civil Service Statistics 2004 shows permanent staff numbers (Full-time equivalent basis) between 1998 and 2004. The data for 1997 can be obtained from Table C in Civil Service Statistics 2003. Civil Service Statistics 2004 are available in the Library and on the Cabinet Office Statistics website at http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management of the civil service/statistics/civil service statistics/index.asp
	The most recent figures, as at 30 June 2005, were published on 6 October 2005. http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management of the civil service/statistics/news/in dex.asp#061005
	Data for the number of contractors is not currently collected.
	Data on numbers of casual staff is also published on the Cabinet Office Statistics website at http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management of the civil service/statistics/civil service statistics/index.asp. Data on numbers of agency temporary workers is not currently collected.

Equality/Diversity Units

John Hayes: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the cost to public funds of supporting (a) equality and (b) diversity units within central Government was in the last period for which figures are available; if he will deposit a list of these groups in the Library; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: Information on expenditure of equality and diversity units in individual Government Departments is not held centrally. However, the NAO report 'Delivering Public Services to a Diverse Society' published in December 2004 estimated that the direct costs in 2002–03 associated with co-ordinating strategy across gender, race, disability and civil service work force representation were over 19 million.

National Minimum Wage

Katy Clark: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many staff in his Department were affected by the increase in the national minimum wage on 1 October.

Jim Murphy: No staff in the Cabinet Office or the Central Office of Information were affected by the October increase in the national minimum wage as minimum salary levels exceeded the rates.

Strategy Unit

Paul Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to his answer of 3 November 2005, Official Report, columns 1353–54W, on the Strategy Unit, what the other phases of the work will be.

Jim Murphy: The Phase two of the report was the final phase of this work and contained policy recommendations. This has been withheld under Section 35 of the Freedom of Information Act.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the progress made in reducing narcotics production and trafficking in Afghanistan;
	(2)  what representations he has received from his US counterpart regarding the progress made in reducing narcotics production and trafficking in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what discussions he has had with his NATO counterparts regarding the possibility of the international security assistance force resuming a role in counter narcotics missions; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: UK armed forces are helping the Afghans create a secure environment in their country on which the eventual elimination of the Afghan opium trade depends. The United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime report states that there has been a 21 per cent. drop in poppy cultivation this year, down from 131,000 hectares to 103,000 hectares. Favourable weather conditions resulted, however, in an increase in the opium yield per acre from 32 kg in 2004 to 39 kg in 2005. It will take time for the impact of international assistance to counter narcotics activity in Afghanistan to be evident in Afghanistan and also in the supply of heroin to the UK.
	The UK regularly discusses ongoing military assistance to counter narcotics with allies, including the United States. ISAF's role in support of counter narcotics is currently under discussion in NATO.

Afghanistan

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what funds have been provided by his Department (a) to assist Afghanistan's counter narcotics effort and (b) to train Afghan police; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence has not provided funds specifically for either counter narcotics or Afghan police training. In both cases, however, United Kingdom armed forces provide support, including information, training and logistic assistance, to Afghan forces.

Afghanistan

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what funds his Department has provided (a) to help create a new Afghan army and (b) to reconstitute Afghanistan's police force since 2002;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on progress in training the Afghan national police.

Adam Ingram: The development of the Afghan National Army (ANA) is led by the United States. The UK Ministry of Defence has not contributed funds but has provided resources and assisted ANA capacity building within means and capabilities in theatre.
	The development of the Afghan national police (ANP) is led by Germany. The UK Ministry of Defence has not contributed funds to ANP training, although we do provide assistance through our provincial reconstruction team in Mazar-e-Sharif, and would look to do the same in any future deployment to southern Afghanistan.
	Some financial support to both the ANA (paying for students attending Sandhurst) and the ANP (work in Mazar-e-Sharif) has been funded by the global conflict prevention pool, which is co-owned with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for International Development.

HMS Sheffield

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many requests have been made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 for information relating to HMS Sheffield; when the requests were made; and on what date a decision was made on each request.

Adam Ingram: Three requests for information (RFI) from different applicants have been made relating to HMS Sheffield under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. One RFI was made in January, and the other two in February. Full replies have been deferred pending the outcome of the departmental review that I commissioned in April 2005 to consider what information can be made available publicly concerning the investigation into the loss of HMS Sheffield during the Falklands conflict. My letter of 7 April (D/MSU/2/5/1) refers, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

Armed Forces

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints of (a) unfair treatment, (b) discrimination, (c) harassment and (d) bullying have been made by members of the armed forces in each year since 1997.

Don Touhig: The armed forces do not record complaints of unfair treatment as a separate category, nor do they differentiate between those relating to discrimination and harassment.
	The number of complaints received by the armed forces of (a) discrimination and harassment and (b) bullying in each year since 1998 are as follows:
	
		
			  Discrimination/harassment Bullying 
		
		
			 1998 114 37 
			 1999 72 44 
			 2000 50 67 
			 2001 59 41 
			 2002 30 55 
			 2003 29 35 
			 2004 45 47 
		
	
	Comprehensive figures for 1997 are not available.

Armed Forces

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many servicemen and women injured on active service since 2000 have stayed on in the armed forces in a non-combatant role; and if he will make a statement.

Don Touhig: According to the Geneva Conventions (Protocol 1, Article 43), the only uniformed personnel to whom the term non-combatant" applies are medics and chaplains. Therefore, if a serving member of the armed forces who is subject to illness or injury is medically downgraded, enabling them to continue in service while being unfit for operational deployment, this does not mean that they become a non-combatant (unless of course they are discharged from the armed forces or they subsequently transfer to one of the non-combatant branches).
	The information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Armed Forces

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 2 November 2005, Official Report, column 1067W, how many foreign nationals are serving in the armed forces, broken down by country of origin.

Don Touhig: The numbers of UK armed forces personnel who are foreign nationals are shown in the following table:
	
		UK regular forces who are foreign nationals
		
			 Number 
			 September 2005(8) All services(7) Naval Service Army RAF 
		
		
			 Total recorded foreign nationals(9) 7,155 485 (11)6,460 (12)210 
			  
			 Country 
			 Antigua (14)— (15)— (14)— (15)— 
			 Australia 110 20 75 15 
			 Bahamas (14)— (15)— (14)— (15)— 
			 Bangladesh 5 (14)— 5 (15)— 
			 Barbados 20 5 10 (14)— 
			 Belize 5 (15)— 5 (15)— 
			 Botswana 5 (15)— 5 (15)— 
			 Cameroon 20 (15)— 20 (15)— 
			 Canada 105 20 65 20 
			 Cyprus (14)— (14)— (14)— (15)— 
			 Dominican Republic 15 (14)— 15 (15)— 
			 Egypt (14)— (15)— (15)— (14)— 
			 Eire 335 60 210 60 
			 Falkland Islands (14)— (15)— (14)— (15)— 
			 Fiji 2,040 70 1,965 5 
			 Gambia 75 (14)— 70 (14)— 
			 Germany(9) 5 (14)— (14)— (15)— 
			 Ghana 590 (14)— 585 (14)— 
			 Gibraltar (14)— (15)— (14)— (15)— 
			 Grenada 55 (14)— 50 (15)— 
			 Guyana 15 (15)— 15 (15)— 
			 India 45 5 40 (14)— 
			 Jamaica 1,030 25 975 25 
			 Kenya 105 5 95 5 
			 Malawi 85 (14)— 80 (14)— 
			 Malaysia 10 (14)— 5 (14)— 
			 Malta 10 (14)— 5 (14)— 
			 Mauritius 25 (15)— 20 (14)— 
			 Montserrat (14)— (15)— (14)— (15)—; 
			 Namibia (14)— (15)— (14)— (15)—; 
			 Nepal 25 (15)— 25 (15)— 
			 New Zealand 85 10 65 5 
			 Nigeria 55 (14)— 55 (15)— 
			 Other African Country (14)— (15)— (15)— (14)— 
			 Other Asiatic Country (14)— (15)— (15)— (14)— 
			 Pacific Islands (14)— (15)— (14)— (15)— 
			 Pakistan 10 (14)— 10 (14)— 
			 Papua New Guinea (14)— (15)—; (14)— (15)— 
			 Seychelles 10 (15)— 10 (15)— 
			 Sierra Leone 40 (15)— 40 (15)— 
			 Singapore (14)— (15)— (14)— (15)— 
			 South Africa 710 55 650 5 
			 Sri Lanka(10) 15 (15)— 10 (14)— 
			 St Christopher (14)— (15)— (15)— (14)— 
			 St Helena 30 (14)— 20 10 
			 St Kitts (14)— (15)— (14)— (15)— 
			 St Lucia 225 (14)— 220 (14)— 
			 St. Vincent 420 135 285 (14)— 
			 Swaziland 5 (15)— 5 (15)— 
			 Switzerland (14)— (15)— (14)— (15)— 
			 Tanzania (14)— (15)— (14)— (15)— 
			 Tonga 5 (15)— 5 (15)— 
			 Trinidad and Tobago 95 15 70 10 
			 Uganda 35 (15)— 35 (15)— 
			 Ukraine (14)— (14)— (15)— (15)— 
			 United Arab Emirates 10 10 (15)— (15)— 
			 USA 5 (14)— (14)— (14)— 
			 West Indies 5 (14)— (14)— (15)— 
			 Zambia 20 (14)— 15 (15)— 
			 Zimbabwe/Rhodesia 590 15 565 10 
			 Other Non-British5, 6 20 (15)— 20 (14)— 
			 Not Recorded 705 600 25 80(13) 
		
	
	(7) RAF and Army data are for UK regular forces (trained and untrained), including Nursing Services and excluding full-time Reserve Service personnel, Gurkhas, the Home Service battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment and mobilised reservists. Naval Service figures are for UK Regular Forces including Nursing Services, FIRS and activated reservists.
	(8) Naval Service data are provided by AFPAA as data are not centrally held. Data are for personnel serving at 3 October 2005.
	Army data are provided by DASA for personnel serving at 1 September 2005.
	RAF data are provided by AFPAA as data are not centrally held. Data are for personnel serving as at 16 September 2005.
	(9) Includes personnel with nationality recorded as West German.
	(10) Includes personnel with nationality recorded as Ceylon.
	(11) Includes personnel with nationality recorded as Commonwealth/foreign and personnel with nationality recorded as Foreign/foreign.
	(12) Includes personnel with nationality recorded as Foreign National.
	(13) Includes 80 personnel recorded as Commonwealth by birth, but with no nationality recorded.
	(14) Denotes less than five.
	(15) Denotes zero.
	Note:
	Data are rounded to 5 to prevent disclosure of sensitive personal information. Due to the founding methods used totals may not always equal the sum of the parts.

Armed Forces

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of armed service personnel in 2002–03 were (a) Irish citizens and (b) foreign nationals.

Don Touhig: The information requested is shown in the following table. Historical nationality data for the naval service and the RAF cannot be provided as data is not centrally held. Army data is provided by the Defence Analytical Services Agency (DASA):
	
		Percentage
		
			  Irish citizen Foreign nationals 
		
		
			 1 April 2002   
			 Naval service n/a n/a 
			 Army 2.0 2.5 
			 Royal Air Force n/a n/a 
			
			 1 April 2003   
			 Navel service n/a n/a 
			 Army 2.0 4.0 
			 Royal Air Force n/a n/a 
		
	
	n/a=denotes data not available
	Note:
	UK Regular Forces include Nursing Services and exclude full-time Reserve Service personnel, Gurkhas, the Home Service battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment and mobilised reservists. They include both trained and untrained personnel.
	Source:
	DASA(Tri-Service)

Armed Forces

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the terms of reference were of research undertaken in the past five years into the socio-economic background of recruits to the armed services; what the size was of the sample in each case; what the principal conclusions were; and if he will place copies of research in the Library.

Don Touhig: No research has been undertaken by the Ministry of Defence in the last five years into the socio-economic background of recruits.
	However, in 1999–2000, research into the socio-economic background of a sample of 500 Army recruits in the Cardiff catchment area was undertaken privately by a member of the armed forces in connection with an academic thesis, and was referred to in the evidence provided to the House of Commons Defence Committee for their inquiry into Duty of Care.

Gulf War Veterans

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Gulf War veterans in Northern Ireland are in receipt of (a) financial and (b) medical support provided by his Department.

Don Touhig: As at 30 June (the latest date for which figures are available), there were approximately 50 veterans in receipt of a war disablement pension whose service included operations in the Gulf Conflict with addresses in Northern Ireland. Others with a lower level of disablement may have received a gratuity award, but we do not have available figures for these. Not all the injuries or medical conditions claimed relate to service in the Gulf but our statistics do not enable us to distinguish the origin of the disablement. Veterans may also qualify for financial assistance through armed forces occupational pension schemes in addition to the normal social security benefits. Information on the numbers of veterans in receipt of benefits under the occupational schemes are not recorded.
	127 1990–91 Gulf veterans, with addresses in Northern Ireland have attended the Gulf Veterans' Medical Assessment Programme (GVMAP), based at St. Thomas's Hospital, London. GVMAP patients with mental health issues are referred to specialised centres, including those administered by Combat Stress. Approximately 25 per cent. of the 53,462 veterans who deployed to the Gulf in 1990–91 are still serving and their medical care is the responsibility of the Defence Medical Services. The Department may under the provisions of the War Pension Scheme defray expenses in respect of medical treatment that is not provided free of charge under other United Kingdom legislation. Information is not available on the number of payments made under this provision in Northern Ireland.

Iraq

Peter Law: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment has been made of (a) health problems of British troops returning from serving in Iraq and (b) the causes thereof.

Don Touhig: As a result of the lessons identified during the 1990–91 Gulf conflict, the Ministry of Defence took early action to put in place a large scale epidemiological study to monitor the physical and psychological health of personnel who served in Operation Telic. This research is being undertaken by King's College, London and the results are expected to be published in 2006.

Medals

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the issuing of medals.

Don Touhig: A number of measures, including the introduction of new information technology and an additional medal engraving facility have recently been introduced, and our procedures for the issuing of medals remain under continuous review.
	Since forming in March of this year, the Ministry of Defence Medal Office has reduced the overall backlog of medal applications from 50,000 to some 24,000. With the exception of a handful of human administrative errors, all have been handled accurately.

Military Airfields

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what records are maintained of US civil registered aircraft landing at UK military airfields.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence maintains a record of all civil registered aircraft that have landed at UK military airfields, including aircraft registration numbers, the name of the pilot and the departure date and destination of the aircraft.

Military Airfields

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what records are maintained of individuals who arrive into the UK at military airfields on US registered aircraft.

Adam Ingram: Where individuals have arrived in the United Kingdom on aircraft registered with any nation and stay in the UK, their details are passed by the Ministry of Defence to HM Revenue and Customs and the Immigration Service in accordance with standing military instructions and the local stipulated requirements of those organisations. Such details are not necessarily retained by the MOD.
	Where aircraft transit through military airfields, to refuel for example, and passengers do not leave the airfield, the MOD records the names of the pilot and aircraft owner but does not record the details of passengers; international and national aviation regulations do not require the recording of passenger information when transiting UK territory or airspace.

Military Flying Training System

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the planning assumption is for entry into service of the UK military flying training system; what the forecast cost is for (a) spending on the assessment phase of the project and (b) the demonstration and manufacture phase of the project; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: Initial service provision of the UK military flying training system (UKMFTS) will be set at the time of the main investment decision. We expect that we will spend up to £39 million during the assessment phase. UKMFTS is being procured as a public private partnership that does not have a conventional demonstration and manufacture phase.

RAF (Recruits)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many recruits to the Royal Air Force there were in each of the last eight years; and how many he expects there to be in the next two years.

Don Touhig: For information relating to the last eight years I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to him on 10 November 2005, Official Report, column 709W.
	The current forecasts for the next two years are:
	
		
			 Financial year Officers Other ranks RAF total 
		
		
			 2006–07 550 1,380 1,930 
			 2007–08 660 2,280 2,940 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are for UK Regular forces and therefore exclude Full Time Reserve Service Personnel and mobilised reservists.
	2. Figures include intake from civil life and those already within the armed forces.
	These forecasts are subject to change.

RAF Bases (Ministerial Visits)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Air Force bases Ministers have visited in the last 12 months.

Don Touhig: Defence Ministers have visited 14 Royal Air Force stations in the last 12 months.

Random Drug Testing

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what criteria are used in selecting departmental establishments for random drug testing.

Don Touhig: All service personnel are liable to compulsory drug testing and selection for testing of military units is carried out randomly. The Royal Navy tests all ships, establishments and Royal Marine units over a two year cycle; the priority for the Army is operational units which are liable for deployment to operational theatres; the RAF tests each of its large units at least twice per annum.

Royal Navy

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the Royal Navy's budget will be for each of the next five years.

Adam Ingram: The defence budget is not broken down by individual service. Tables 2 and 3 of The Government's Expenditure Plans 2005–06 to 2007–08, Ministry of Defence (Cmd 6532), show the resource and capital spending plans of the Navy's two Top Level Budget holders, the Commander-in-Chief Fleet and the 2nd Sea Lord/Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command, in the years 2005–06 to 2007–08. Spending plans for later years will be determined by the outcome of the comprehensive spending review and the subsequent departmental planning round.

Service Discharges

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the armed forces have been discharged as unfit in each year since 1990 from each service.

Don Touhig: The following table shows trained outflow due to medical reasons from UK Regular forces:
	
		
			 Financial year Total Naval service Army RAF 
		
		
			 1989–90 (16)— (16)— 480 200 
			 1990–91 700 90 460 160 
			 1991–92 680 100 440 140 
			 1992–93 770 210 430 130 
			 1993–94 810 210 430 170 
			 1994–95 920 270 480 170 
			 1995–96 1,180 310 640 230 
			 1996–97 1,050 340 500 200 
			 1997–98 1,140 380 550 220 
			 1998–99 1,040 410 460 160 
			 1999–2000 1,120 480 480 160 
			 2000–01 1,040 450 420 170 
			 2001–02 1,040 410 470 160 
			 2002–03 950 340 490 110 
			 2003–04 880 280 340 260 
			 2004–05 1,080 390 520 160 
		
	
	(16) Denotes figures unavailable.
	Notes:
	1. UK Regular Forces includes nursing services and excludes Full Time Reserve Service personnel, Gurkhas, the Home Service battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment, mobilised reservists and Naval Activated Reservists.
	2. Figures include trained outflow from recalled reservists on release.
	3. Due to the rounding methods used, totals may not always equal the sum of the parts. When rounding to the nearest 10, numbers ending in 5 have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias.

Service Personnel

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel have been based in each region of the UK in each year since 1995.

Don Touhig: The information requested is shown in the tables. Information is shown on different tables due to the re-classification of several Government office regions between 1995 and 2005.
	
		UK regular forces distribution across UK at the 1 Julysituation date
		
			  1995 1996 
		
		
			 United Kingdom 182,180 177,360 
			 England 149,410 146,600 
			 Wales 5,220 4,350 
			 Scotland 16,880 15,460 
			 Northern Ireland 9,890 10,480 
			 Unknown 770 470 
			
			 Government office region (England)   
			 Northern 1,520 1,160 
			 Yorks and Humberside 12,320 12,150 
			 East Midlands 9,360 8,560 
			 East Anglia 11,310 11,620 
			 South East 62,450 60,910 
			 South West 45,230 44,840 
			 West Midlands 5,130 5,290 
			 North West 2,090 2,080 
		
	
	Source:
	DASA (Tri Service)
	
		
			  1997 1998 
		
		
			 United Kingdom 171,570 173,440 
			 England 142,640 144,550 
			 Wales 3,330 3,240 
			 Scotland 13,890 14,210 
			 Northern Ireland 11,460 11,030 
			 Unknown 250 400 
			
			 Government office region (England)   
			 North East 1,290 1,420 
			 North West 1,980 1,510 
			 Merseyside 200 220 
			 Yorks and Humberside 10,960 12,090 
			 East Midlands 7,790 6,960 
			 West Midlands 5,100 4,690 
			 Eastern 17,040 16,260 
			 London 7,340 7,380 
			 South East 46,570 49,590 
			 South West 44,370 44,430 
		
	
	Source:
	DASA (Tri Service)
	
		
			  1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 United Kingdom 171,740 170,300 171,710 171,440 
			 England 144,350 143,040 142,320 142,130 
			 Wales 3,270 3,220 2,570 2,110 
			 Scotland 14,940 15,080 14,460 13,460 
			 Northern Ireland 8,990 8,390 9,400 5,160 
			 Unknown 190 570 2,970 8,580 
			 Government office region  (England) 
			 North East 1,440 1,420 1,340 1,320 
			 North West 2,130 1,900 1,290 1,500 
			 Yorks. and Humberside 11,040 13,060 12,800 13,840 
			 East Midlands 8,400 8,810 8,040 7,200 
			 West Midlands 6,450 6,720 6,840 6,740 
			 Eastern 17,880 17,310 17,810 17,010 
			 London 7,340 6,430 6,410 6,370 
			 South East 50,370 49,620 49,040 51,230 
			 South West 39,310 37,770 38,750 36,930 
		
	
	Source:
	DASA (Tri Service)
	
		
			  2004 2005 
		
		
			 United Kingdom 175,390 169,600 
			 England 149,390 144,980 
			 Wales 3,080 2,860 
			 Scotland 14,150 13,240 
			 Northern Ireland 7,690 6,970 
			 Centrally Administered 1,360 1,530 
			 Unknown 280 30 
			
			 Government office region (England)   
			 North East 1,470 1,550 
			 North West 1,760 2,050 
			 Yorks. and Humberside 14,210 13,420 
			 East Midlands 8,710 9,180 
			 West Midlands 7,310 6,560 
			 Eastern 18,620 18,470 
			 London 6,800 6,530 
			 South East 49,110 46,840 
			 South West 41,410 40,380 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are for UK regular forces, both trained and untrained, located in the UK. They therefore exclude Ghurkhas, full-time reserve service personnel, the home service battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment and mobilised reservists.
	2. Figures show the UK regular forces posted location. Posted location is where an individual is permanently based.
	3. Naval service personnel on sea service are included against the region containing the home port of their ship.
	4. Naval service personnel serving in flights at sea are included against the region containing the base airfield of their flight.
	5. The detailed figures in this publication have been compiled from unit statistics related to unit postcodes. For some units postcode information is either unavailable or inappropriate.
	6. Location statistics are not available for FTRS, the home service battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment and mobilised reservists.
	7. Due to the rounding methods used, figures may not always equal the sum of the parts. When rounding to the nearest 10, numbers ending in five have been rounded to the nearest 20 to prevent systematic bias.
	8. Comparisons should not be made between data before July 2002 and data after July 2004 due to the different methodologies used to collate the data.
	Source:
	DASA (Tri Service)
	Service personnel location statistics are published in Tri-Service Publication 10 (UK Regular Forces Distribution Across the UK), copies of which can be found in the Library of the House. TSP 10 was suspended in 2003 due to concerns over the data quality.

Territorial Army

Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the Territorial Army live in Paisley and Renfrewshire, North constituency.

Don Touhig: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Freedom of Information

Peter Law: To ask the Solicitor-General if he will list Freedom of Information (FOI) requests made to the Law Officers which have been passed to the FOI clearing house for evaluation, broken down by (a) subject and (b) date of request.

Mike O'Brien: Information about the handling of Freedom of Information requests is published in Freedom of Information Statistics on Implementation in Central Government". The most recently published report was 30 September 2005 and copies were placed in the Libraries of both Houses. Additional information about the role of the Clearing House can be found on the Department of Constitutional Affairs' website at: http://www.foi.gov.uk/guidance/index.htm#2. Departments do not provide details about the internal handling of requests, such as details of which requests were referred to the Clearing House for guidance.

IT Projects

David Laws: To ask the Solicitor-General how many IT projects have been developed for his Department since 2001; and whether he has agreed to make public Gateway reviews for these projects (a) in full and (b) in part.

Mike O'Brien: The Crown Prosecution Service has undertaken a Programme of IT projects since 2001 1 . This Programme has been the subject of the Gateway review process since its inception.
	The Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office became an independent Department on 18 April 2005; prior to that date it was part of HM Customs and Excise. To date it has not developed any new projects.
	The Serious Fraud Office has developed 12 IT projects since 2001, none of which had a risk profile requiring the Gateway review process. However in the interest of best practice three Gateway reviews have been undertaken.
	The Treasury Solicitor's Office has developed 22 IT projects since 2001, only two of which were subjects of the Gateway review process.
	None of the Departments has published findings from the Gateway reviews, nor have I been asked to do so.
	1 This reply also covers HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate

PRIME MINISTER

Financial Contribution

David Davies: To ask the Prime Minister in what areas of the cost of his (a) accommodation, (b) security and (c) transport (i) he and (ii) his family makes a contribution to the expenses incurred by the Government.

Tony Blair: The Government are reimbursed as necessary for personal expenses incurred, as has been the practice of successive Governments.

Peerages

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Prime Minister what account he takes of the record of donation to political parties of persons he is minded to recommend for elevation to the peerage; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: The fact of having made a political donation should not in itself exclude the appointment to a peerage where the candidate's experience or achievements justify one. The House of Lords Appointments Commission, who carry out the scrutiny of candidates, is given information, where relevant, about political donations.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people in (a) Havering, (b) Essex and (c) Greater London have had (i) one, (ii) two, (iii) three and (iv) four or more antisocial behaviour orders issued against them in the last four years.

Hazel Blears: It is not possible from the data on antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) collected centrally to identify, within an acceptable degree of accuracy, persons issued with different numbers of ASBOs. A table giving a breakdown of ASBOs issued, by the local government authority area in which prohibitions are imposed, is available on the Crime Reduction website at www.crimereduction.gov.uk. This table gives data by year since ASBOs were introduced.

At-risk Children

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children were on the at-risk register in each local authority in England at the end of each council year since 1989.

Beverley Hughes: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested is available from the Department's website at:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgatewav/DB/VOL/v000553/index.shtml

Bail Hostels

Ian Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many bail hostels serve courts in Surrey.

Fiona Mactaggart: Approved Premises (formerly bail and probation hostels) operate in all parts of England and Wales and provide places for those bailed by the courts, offenders serving community sentences or those released from prison on licence. Surrey has one Approved Premises which serves the courts in the county. In addition, the local probation area has an arrangement with a housing provider in the county for access to accommodation for those on bail who are assessed as medium or low risk of harm.

Community Service Offenders

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he plans to make community service offenders wear recognisable clothing.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Home Office through the National Offender Management Service is examining ways of making compulsory unpaid work more visible and this includes looking at the use of a 'Community Payback' logo to identify the work carried out by offenders supervised by local probation areas. Currently probation areas are implementing the proposals of the National Probation Directorate and using this logo to mark current and completed work projects.
	The emphasis is on badging the work offenders undertake in order to raise public awareness of the benefits this brings to the communities. In accordance with Health and Safety requirements, offenders on unpaid work projects are regularly required to wear suitable protective clothing and some badging of equipment and protective clothing is currently being introduced.

Counter-terrorism

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his oral answer of 7 November 2005, Official Report, column 9, on counter-terrorism, which EU countries can detain terrorist suspects without trial for four years.

Charles Clarke: There are a number of EU countries where terrorist suspects can be detained, without trial, for four years. In France, for example, a suspect can be detained for up to four years if the crime in question carries a sentence of over 10 years, and this includes many terrorism-related offences. In Germany there is no maximum detention period, although the grounds for detention must be reviewed at least every six months. In Spain there is an initial detention period of up to two years, renewable for a further two if the crime carries a sentence of six or more years and the investigating magistrate fears a risk of absconding.

Criminal Records Bureau

Andrew Pelling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average number of Criminal Records Bureau checks made per week (a) was in (i) 2003 and (ii) 2004 and (b) has been to date in 2005.

Hazel Blears: The average number of Disclosures issued per week in 2003 was 40,762 and 47,853 in 2004. The average number for 2005 stands at 50,798.

De-activated Firearms

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many de-activated Lee Enfield Mark 1, First World War rifles have been used in the commission of an offence in the last five years; and if he will make a statement on the effect of the Violent Crime Reduction Bill on owners of such rifles.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 17 November 2005
	The requested data are not collected centrally. De-activated firearms have been exempted from the definition of realistic imitation firearm and owners of these rifles will be largely unaffected by the provisions in the Bill. Provisions in the Bill relating to the sale of imitations to minors will apply and it will be an offence in future to sell a de-activated firearm to a person under the age of 18.

Departmental Staff

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many full-time equivalent employee reductions (a) were achieved in 2004–05 and (b) are expected to be achieved in 2005–06 as a result of the Gershon review in his Department; what (i) cost savings relating to IT projects and (ii) total efficiency savings (A) were achieved in 2004–05 and (B) are expected to be achieved in 2005–06 as a result of that review; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Clarke: holding answer 7 November 2005
	My Department's 2005 Annual Report (Cm 6528) recorded that gains in value for money estimated to be worth £717 million per year were achieved during 2004–05 and that the size of the headquarters had been reduced by 876 full-time equivalent posts.
	These improvements form a significant first step towards achieving my Department's targets to increase value for money by £1,970 million per year by 31 March 2008 and to reduce the size of the headquarters by 2,700 full-time equivalent posts.
	Value for money increases have been supported, in some areas, by new or changed use of information technology (IT). However IT investment has generally formed only part of a wider change to the way in which work is carried out; it is not possible to show separately what proportion of the Department's substantial gains have arisen directly as a result of IT.

DNA Database

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individual records have been added to the national DNA database in each month since January 2004.

Andy Burnham: The estimated number of records pertaining to individuals added to the National DNA Database in each month since January 2004 is shown in the following table. The figures shown take account of replicate sample records on the database. There were an estimated 2,888,855 individuals on the database at the end of July 2005.
	
		Estimated number of individuals added to the database
		
			 Month Number 
		
		
			 2004  
			 January 35,403 
			 February 37.998 
			 March 51,329 
			 April 33,192 
			 May 29,259 
			 June 38.545 
			 July 38,964 
			 August 45,173 
			 September 28,653 
			 October 43,720 
			 November 44,321 
			 December 43,350 
			   
			 2005  
			 January 39.638 
			 February 41,336 
			 March 44,100 
			 April 45,566 
			 May 47,443 
			 June 48,204 
			 July 45,514

DNA Database

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals have been found guilty on the basis of evidence from the DNA database since its inception.

Andy Burnham: holding answer 10 November 2005
	It is not possible to provide information on the number of individuals who have been found guilty on the basis of evidence from the National DNA Database as statistical data are not kept in this form.

Government Telecommunications

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the security implications of the supply of Government telecommunications equipment by overseas manufacturers.

Charles Clarke: The procurement of Government telecommunications equipment, irrespective of the source of supply, always involves a security assessment appropriate to the purpose for which the equipment is to be used.

Influenza Pandemic

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he has issued to police forces regarding the development of contingency plans for use in the event of an influenza pandemic; and what plans he has to update this guidance.

Hazel Blears: The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has been alerted to the potential consequences of an outbreak of pandemic influenza, and has communicated this to police forces in order to inform contingency planning. This work will be guided by the Government's UK Influenza Contingency Plan (latest version 19 October 2005). The Home Office will continue to liaise with ACPO in the production of contingency plans as necessary.

Malicious Damage Act

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) males and (b) females have been (i) charged and (ii) convicted in England and Wales of offences under sections (A) 35 and (B) 36 of the Malicious Damage Act 1861 in each year since 1984.

Hazel Blears: Statistics on the number of males and females charged with an offence are not centrally collected. Information taken from the Home Office Court Proceedings database on the number of males and females found guilty of criminal damage at all courts England and Wales, 1984–2003 is contained in the table. It is not possible to separate data on convictions under sections 35 and 36 of the Malicious Damages Act 1861 from data relating to other offences of criminal damage. Court statistics for 2004 will be available in late November.
	
		Number of males and females found guilty at all courts for criminal damage England and Wales, 1984–2003(17)
		
			  Criminal damage endangering life (excluding arson)(18) Other criminal damage(19) 
			  Male Female Male Female 
		
		
			 1984 50 3 8,202 492 
			 1985 43 — 8,327 514 
			 1986 60 3 7,313 444 
			 1987 43 4 7,805 459 
			 1988 41 7 8,773 536 
			 1989 61 7 6,578 425 
			 1990 69 6 8,113 613 
			 1991 50 4 7,433 606 
			 1992 50 7 7,318 581 
			 1993 40 2 7,091 574 
			 1994 71 1 7,519 587 
			 1995 54 7 7,208 556 
			 1996 86 9 7,524 643 
			 1997 97 8 7,775 686 
			 1998 81 6 8,372 711 
			 1999 90 10 8,147 754 
			 2000 70 9 7,448 690 
			 2001 80 12 7,724 754 
			 2002 82 12 7,914 830 
			 2003 101 15 7,995 872 
		
	
	(17) These data are provided on the principal offence basis.
	(18) Includes offences under Explosive Substances Act 1883 s.2 (in part) and s.3 (in part), Malicious Damage Act 1861 ss 35, 36, 47 and 48, Criminal Damage Act 1971 s.1(2).
	(19) Includes offences under Explosive Substances Act 1883 s.2(in part) and s.3 (in part) Malicious Damage Act 1861 ss 35, 36, 47 and 48, Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Area Act 1979 s.28(1), Post Office Act 1953 s.60, Criminal Damage Act 1971 s.1(1) (value over £5,000 or at the same time as an other offence).

Mental Health

Ian Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to provide offenders with mental health problems rehabilitation after sentencing.

Fiona Mactaggart: Wherever possible, subject to the need to protect others, mentally disordered offenders receive treatment rather than punishment. Where they cannot be diverted to hospital at sentencing, the Home Secretary has power to direct their transfer to hospital from prison. Discharge or release from hospital is subject to statutory aftercare arrangements under s117 of the Mental Health Act 1983.
	Where mentally disordered offenders do receive prison sentences, Prison Mental Health In-reach teams work to link them with their home" Community Mental Health Teams before their release to ensure continuity of care under the Care Programme Approach and the Offender Mental Health Care Pathway.

National Offender Management Service

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how regional offender managers will be involved in contestability under the National Offender Management Service arrangements.

Fiona Mactaggart: Regional Offender Managers (ROMs) will be commissioning services from the Prison Service and from Probation Boards from April 2006. Meanwhile, proposals for increasing contestability across the National Offender Management Service estate are being developed. Contestability is expected to result in ROMS commissioning correctional services from a range of public, private and voluntary and community sector providers.

National Offender Management Service

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to complete (a) assessment of and (b) consultation on the organisational design options to deliver (i) integrated offender management, (ii) increased contestability and (iii) the clear purchaser/provider split as set out in the 2005–06 Business Plan.

Fiona Mactaggart: holding answer 13 July 2005
	A consultation paper, Restructuring Probation to Reduce Re-offending", was published on 20 October, setting out how we propose to introduce a clear purchaser/provider split and increased contestability of integrated offender management services (current legislation already allows for competition in the provision of prison services but not of probation services). The consultation period ends on 20 December and we will publish a summary of responses as soon as possible thereafter.

Neighbourhood Disruption

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to ensure that juveniles do not cause disruption to others in their neighbourhood after 9 pm.

Hazel Blears: A wide range of powers are available to limit disruption caused by juveniles after 9 pm, these include powers given to the police to designate an area where there is persistent antisocial behaviour and a problem with groups causing intimidation. In these areas the police, in agreement with the local authority, have a power to disperse groups where their presence or behaviour has resulted, or is likely to result, in a member of the public being intimidated, alarmed or distressed.
	The groups can then be excluded from a specified area for up to 24 hours antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) can also be used as an effective means of curbing disruptive behaviour in local neighbourhoods. ASBOs contain prohibitions which place restrictions on the behaviour of individuals. These prohibitions may include a curfew which ensures young people are in their homes by a given time.
	In situations where groups of young people are causing disruption, targeting ringleaders with ASBOs may be a useful way of dispersing the group. acceptable behaviour contracts, which are voluntary agreements, may also be used to ensure young people are not causing disruption in their neighbourhoods.

Neighbourhood Watch

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many neighbourhood watch schemes are in operation in West Lancashire.

Hazel Blears: In January 2005 there were 1,510 Neighbourhood Watch schemes in Lancashire as a whole, covering some 79,481 properties. The most recent available figures suggest that there are currently around 300 Neighbourhood Watch schemes operating in West Lancashire.

Neighbourhood Watch

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding is available for neighbourhood watch in West Lancashire.

Hazel Blears: Neighbourhood Watch groups in West Lancashire, in common with Neighbourhood Watch organisations in other parts of England and Wales, can approach their local Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs) and local councils for financial and other support. The Home Office does not provide direct grant funding to local Neighbourhood Watch groups. Instead we provide other types of support such as the www.neighbourhoodwatch.uk.com website, free public liability insurance for local groups and free crime reduction literature for use by these groups.

Offences Against the Person Act

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the operation of section 36 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861.

Hazel Blears: Section 36 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 makes it an offence to use threats or force to obstruct or prevent ministers of religion in the discharge of their duties. The maximum penalty is two years imprisonment. In the years 1999 to 2003, there have been six cases proceeded against at magistrates courts under section 36 of the 1861 Act.

Police

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to merge police forces according to the bounderies used for regional assemblies; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: We have made clear to the police service that the very strong starting presumption is that any new force areas should not cross Government office regional boundaries. It follows that very strong arguments would need to be submitted in support of any merger proposals which went contrary to this presumption.

Police

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research he has evaluated on the effectiveness of national recruiting guidelines for the police force; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The Home Office and Centrex, the Central Police Recruitment, Training and Development Authority, are responsible for evaluating the results and effectiveness of the recruit assessment centre across all forces in England and Wales. Their research has shown that those selected through the national police recruitment assessment centre go on to perform well at initial police probationer training and also perform effectively in the job as a constable. I will place a copy of the latest Predictive Validity Report in the Library.

Police

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place a copy of the national guidelines on recruitment standards for the police force in the Library.

Hazel Blears: Potential candidates are assessed in seven competencies; Respect for Race and Diversity, Resilience, Effective Communication, Team Working, Problem Solving, Personal Responsibility and Community and Customer Focus.
	The seven different competencies are measured through four interactive exercises, two written exercises, and a competency based structured interview and two ability tests, one testing verbal reasoning the other numerical reasoning. Respect for Race and Diversity competency area is designed into and assessed in each exercise as a 'golden thread'. The other six competencies are measured a minimum of three times across the other exercises and interview. Candidates must pass at the agreed level. Other recruitment standards are set out in Home Office Circulars 6/2003, 25/2003, 54/2003, 43/2004 and 59/2004.
	These are available on the Home Office website and I have placed a copy of them in the Library.

Police

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training in management skills is available for police officers.

Hazel Blears: The Core Leadership Development Programme provides a suite of leadership modules aimed at post probationary constables, sergeants, inspectors and corresponding police staff—providing them with leadership and management skills across a range of areas of expertise. This has been externally accredited by the Chartered Institute of Management.
	The Senior Leadership Development Programme, aimed at middle and senior managers, develops the knowledge, skills and behaviours to improve operational professionalism and performance and deliver high quality services. It is a requirement for superintendents and chief superintendents to pass the Strategic Command Course to become a member of the Association of Chief Police Officers.
	This course provides police officers with the skills to take on the most demanding roles in the police service.

Police

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers are on the force in Gravesham; and if he will take steps to increase this number.

Hazel Blears: Figures for Gravesham are not collected centrally. However, Gravesham comes within the North Kent Basic Command Unit and as at 31 March 2005 there were 388 (full-time equivalent) police officers within the North Kent BCU. The number of police officers in North Kent has increased by 46 since March 2002. The deployment of police officers to basic command units and other specialist units in Kent police is an operational matter for the Chief Constable.

Police

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what boundaries the Government will use for the restructuring of police forces; and what assessment he has made of the merits of using Government office regions as the basis for the reorganisation.

Hazel Blears: We have made clear to the police service that the very strong starting presumption is that any new force areas should not cross Government office regional boundaries. It follows that very strong arguments would need to be submitted in support of any merger proposals which went contrary to this presumption.

Police

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government is taking to improve the quality of local policing in Coventry, South; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 9 November 2005
	The Government are committed to a major programme of police reform, to help build safer and stronger communities. This will help to drive performance in every force and includes: building a more responsive, citizen-focused police service with neighbourhood policing at its heart—reshaping the national policing landscape to ensure effective policing at district, force and national level—further modernising the police work force.
	This is building on the significant progress that has already been made: overall crime is down by 35 per cent. since 1997 and the chance of being a victim of crime is at a 20-year low—police numbers are at an all time high. We now have over 141,000 police officers, 71,000 police staff and 6,300 community support officers—investment in policing has increased by over a quarter since 1997. We have also sought to instil a strong performance culture. This is taking hold delivering real and sustainable improvements. In terms of West Midlands Police's local performance and how this is enhanced, as for any force this is principally a matter for the chief officer team and the police authority. The Home Office has recently published assessments for every force in the country. West Midlands Police received a Good" and Improved" grading in the local policing domain.
	The Government's work with all 43 forces to develop neighbourhood policing, initially within pathfinder areas, will enhance the quality of local policing. In West Midlands, the pathfinder is North Sandwell Operational Command Unit.
	The development of neighbourhood policing within the pathfinder will inform the development of neighbourhood policing across the force. Following the report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of the Constabulary on improving protective services, I have also asked police forces and police authorities to develop options for restructuring forces and to submit their final reports, including their final options, to the Home Office by 23 December 2005. Larger, more strategic forces will support neighbourhood policing as they will have the resilience to prevent the abstraction of neighbourhood policing teams to major incidents.

Prison Service

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on individuals employed by the Prison Service who wish to continue working beyond the age of 60.

Fiona Mactaggart: The public sector Prison Service is currently reviewing its age retirement policies across all grades of staff. It is expected that the Prison Service Management Board will consider the outcome of the review in December 2005 and advise staff of the outcome of the review in early 2006. Prison officers and operational managers are not routinely permitted to work beyond the age of 60.
	In exceptional circumstances, prison governors have discretion to allow individuals to work beyond the age of 60 where there is a specific operational need to retain the individual member of staff due to their specialist skills or involvement in a particular project or specific work. Operational support grades and industrial staff may continue to be employed until the age of 65. Under a temporary policy, due to expire on 31 March 2006, administrative staff and non-operational management grades are currently permitted to work on an annual basis beyond the age of 60. The review will determine whether these grades will be allowed to work beyond the age of 60 after this date.

Prisoner Release

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of prisoners are released with (a) no arranged employment and (b) no accommodation.

Fiona Mactaggart: Prisoners are asked immediately before release about arrangements for accommodation and ETE (Employment Training and Education) after release. Figures provided as follows refer to accommodation, ETE and Freshstart bookings (interviews arranged at the local Jobcentre Plus).
	
		Percentage of prisoners who have not had accommodationor employment arranged prior to release. Year-to-dateSeptember 2005.
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 No accommodation 18 
			 Without employment(20) 74 
		
	
	(20) Not to be mistaken with unemployed (see following table for details).
	
		The breakdown of those released without employment(21). Year-to-date September 2005.
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 In education/training 10 
			 Unavailable to work (i.e. long-term carer, sickness, retirement) 9 
			 Unknown (no information recorded) 51 
			 Unemployed 29 
		
	
	(21) 57 per cent. of those released without employment were booked a FreshStart Interview by Jobcentre Plus.

Prisons

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to enable prisoners to continue with educational courses started in prison after their release.

Fiona Mactaggart: In August 2005, the Learning and Skills Council took responsibility in three development regions (the North West, North East and South West) for planning and funding an integrated learning and skills service for offenders in custody and the community, linking it much more explicitly with mainstream provision for post-16 learners. The remaining six regions in England will follow in August 2006.
	The key features of the new service are described in The Offenders Learning Journey (http://www.dfes.gov.uk/offenderlearning/uploads/docs/adultpercent20OLJpercent20V0.5.doc) which specifies an early, intense focus on assessing learning needs followed by seamless arrangements for delivering those requirements to offenders across prisons and probation and on into mainstream learning and skills provision.

Prisons

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to provide victim support-based treatment for prison inmates who were victims of sexual abuse prior to incarceration.

Fiona Mactaggart: A number of voluntary and self-help groups offer support to both female and male offenders who are survivors of sexual abuse, including interventions by rape crisis centres, counselling services and other health professionals. Services are contracted by prisons according to local circumstances.
	The Prison Service has issued operational advice and good practice guidelines entitled Supporting Women in Prison who have been Abused, Raped or who have experienced Domestic Violence (June 2005)." A directory of services for women who have experienced abuse as children or adults has also been published recently.
	The Service has also consulted a number of relevant non-statutory agencies, as well as undertaking an extensive literature review on the impact of victimisation and its links with crime by women. Offending behaviour programmes currently being piloted with women are taking account of the role of childhood maltreatment in the causes of offending and substance use for women.

Prisons

Andrew Pelling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many assaults have taken place on prison officers (a) in total, (b) in the Prison Service and (c) within private prisons in each of the last five years.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Prison Service does not routinely collect separate data on assaults on prison officers. However, the following table shows the number of serious assaults on all members of staff for the last five full financial years and for the first six months of 2005–06. The data include serious assaults on both prison officers and staff in civilian roles.
	
		
			  Prison system total HM Prison Service Contracted prisons Contractor escorts 
		
		
			 2000–01 122 105 6 11 
			 2001–02 126 113 9 4 
			 2002–03 133 120 9 4 
			 2003–04 197 173 14 10 
			 2004–05 188 162 14 12 
			 2005–06 91 68 14 9

Prisons

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the impact of overcrowding on the operation of Springhill Prison;
	(2)  what steps his Department is taking to reduce overcrowding in Springhill Prison.

Fiona Mactaggart: No prisoners are held in crowded conditions at HMP Springhill.

Prisons

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to reduce the number of suicides in prisons.

Fiona Mactaggart: Prisoner suicide prevention operates by embedding suicide prevention through every area of prison life-including detoxification, decency, health care, staff training, and the built environment. The key intervention currently being introduced across public and private prisons is the new care-planning system for at-risk prisoners: ACCT (Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork). ACCT aims to improve the quality of care by introducing flexible care understanding at-risk prisoners.

Probation Service

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people (a) joined and (b) left the Probation Service in England and Wales during (i) 2003–04 and (ii) 2004–05, broken down by grade.

Fiona Mactaggart: Information is not available for the full period requested. Data collected prior to 1 April 2003 is unreliable, and is not directly comparable with the more accurate figures collected since that time. The figures presented in the table show full-time equivalent (FTE) figures at the close of each quarter from 1 April 2003 to 30 June 2005.
	The starters and leavers data in the table does not capture movements/promotions between grades. For example, the vast majority of new probation officers are trainee probation officers who are appointed at the successful completion of their training. Because these trainees are already employed by the National Probation Service (NPS) at the time of their appointment to a probation officer post, this is not recorded as a 'new start' and does not appear in the starters figures.
	This gives the appearance that the number of leavers in the probation officer category continuously exceeds the number of starters. This is not an accurate representation, as probation officer numbers continue to grow in the NPS. The comparison of starters and leavers figures (in order to gauge net growth/loss in staff numbers) is only representative when comparing the overall total figures in each period.
	
		
			  2003–04 
			  Quarter 1 Quarter 2 Quarter 3 Quarter 4 
			  Starters Leavers Starters Leavers Starters Leavers Starters Leavers 
		
		
			 Senior Probation Officer 4.00 20.00 2.00 20.00 1.50 16.50 1.40 18.50 
			 Senior Practitioner 0.00 3.00 9.00 6.00 1.00 4.00 0.00 7.60 
			 Probation Officer 33.90 78.20 29.10 147.00 34.60 84.10 11.10 95.70 
			 Trainee Probation Officer 2.00 11.00 211.00 15.00 518.00 17.80 135.00 19.00 
			 Probation Services Officer 239.00 111.30 346.10 133.80 229.16 146.01 131.53 113.13 
			 Psychologist 0.00 0.00 1.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.50 
			 Other Operational Staff 30.40 56.20 30.70 35.20 49.30 18.30 48.74 23.60 
			 Deputy Chief Officers/Director 1.00 0.00 0.00 3.00 2.00 1.00 0.00 2.00 
			 AGO and Equivalent 1.00 2.00 4.70 9.00 5.00 5.67 5.00 6.20 
			 Area/District Manager 2.00 4.00 0.00 0.00 1.00 2.00 2.00 8.00 
			 Section or Function Head 4.00 5.00 19.00 10.00 8.50 10.00 7.00 16.00 
			 Support Staff-Admin 187.80 87.20 176.60 109.70 244.23 113.57 164.99 117.83 
			 Support Staff Other 44.10 13.00 30.40 39.40 38.91 26.30 21.54 16.11 
			 Other Specialist Worker 7.40 6.60 15.00 25.00 10.60 6.00 7.00 13.60 
			 Total 556.60 397.50 874.60 553.10 1,143.80 451.25 535.30 459.77 
		
	
	
		
			  2004–05 
			  Quarter 1 Quarter 2 Quarter 3 Quarter 4 
			  Starters Leavers Starters Leavers Starters Leavers Starters Leavers 
		
		
			 Senior Probation Officer 4.00 22.60 0.00 2.00 0.00 1.00 1.00 6.00 
			 Senior Practitioner 1.00 2.40 0.00 5.00 1.27 1.00 2.00 0.00 
			 Probation Officer 14.50 84.40 0.00 0.00 1.00 3.00 1.50 3.00 
			 Trainee Probation Officer 2.00 16.00 4.00 11.90 8.00 8.07 8.31 13.38 
			 Probation Services Officer 137.44 138.03 171.83 158.52 165.18 110.98 193.51 103.77 
			 Psychologist 0.00 2.00 38.47 13.90 21.58 8.20 27.00 14.09 
			 Other Operational Staff 13.65 19.45 9.30 13.32 9.00 3.60 10.78 5.89 
			 Deputy Chief Officers/Director 0.00 0.00 1.60 24.90 3.00 15.17 6.05 16.10 
			 AGO and Equivalent 0.00 5.00 0.00 3.00 1.00 5.00 0.00 2.50 
			 Area/District Manager 2.00 1.50 4.20 106.96 25.66 93.68 23.64 84.30 
			 Section or Function Head 5.50 9.58 38.00 36.00 430.00 24.00 96.00 9.00 
			 Support Staff-Admin 104.61 142.66 208.18 159.83 255.53 132.86 296.81 106.79 
			 Support Staff Other 27.05 21.98 2.00 2.00 0.00 3.00 0.00 0.00 
			 Other Specialist Worker 10.68 8.00 21.25 20.80 21.44 17.03 36.15 19.10 
			 Total 322.43 473.60 498.83 558.13 942.66 426.58 702.75 383.92 
		
	
	
		
			  2005–06 
			  Quarter 1 
			  Starters Leavers 
		
		
			 Senior Probation Officer 2.00 1.27 
			 Senior Practitioner 0.50 4.00 
			 Probation Officer 1.00 0.00 
			 Trainee Probation Officer 9.00 7.30 
			 Probation Services Officer 177.21 109.30 
			 Psychologist 18.10 15.32 
			 Other Operational Staff 13.50 11.30 
			 Deputy Chief Officers/Director 5.90 15.00 
			 AGO and Equivalent 2.00 10.20 
			 Area/District Manager 17.90 99.88 
			 Section or Function Head 1.00 13.00 
			 Support Staff-Admin 236.89 124.70 
			 Support Staff Other 0.00 0.60 
			 Other Specialist Worker 22.53 24.41 
			 Total 507.53 436.28

Prostitution

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he plans to bring forward legislation on prostitution following his recent review.

Fiona Mactaggart: Following public consultation last year we are developing a coordinated strategy for England and Wales on the wide-ranging issues arising from prostitution, which we will publish as soon as possible. This strategy will set out any legislative changes we plan to make as a result of the review and responses to the consultation.

Protection from Harassment Act

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many times the powers under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 have been used to prevent an individual from contacting a spouse or partner in each year since the Act came into force; what standard of proof is required before such powers are exercised; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  on how many occasions powers under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 have been used to prevent a person from accessing their marital home; and if he will make a statement.

Fiona Mactaggart: The available information from the Home Office Court Proceedings database on the number of restraining orders made under section 5 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 up to 2004 is contained in table one.
	The available information from the Department for Constitutional Affairs County Court Statistics Module Database on the estimated number of injunctions granted under section 3 of the Act, 1998 to 2005, is contained in table two. (The number is estimated because there is no specific reference to section three of the Act within the dataset.) It is not possible to identify those orders or injunctions that were intended to prevent contact with a partner or spouse, as information about the purpose of such orders and injunctions is not centrally collected. Both restraining orders made under section 5 of the Act and civil injunctions granted under section three are civil orders.
	Both orders are preventative rather than punitive and are intended to give protection to victims. In determining whether a restraining order is necessary, the criminal court will apply a civil standard of proof. If a civil court is satisfied on a balance of probabilities that harassment has taken place or is anticipated, then it may grant an injunction.
	
		Protection from Harassment Act 1997
		
			  Injunctions granted 
		
		
			 1998 374 
			 1999 390 
			 2000 283 
			 2001 433 
			 2002 482 
			 2003 761 
			 2004 354 
			 2005 (to September 2005) 482 
		
	
	
		Defendants given a restraining order, principal andnon-principal, 1997–2004
		
			  Crown court Magistrates court All courts 
		
		
			 1997 0 1 1 
			 1998 38 822 860 
			 1999 146 1,290 1,436 
			 2000 59 1,559 1,618 
			 2001 3 1,602 1,605 
			 2002 127 1,807 1,934 
			 2003 520 1,947 2,467 
			 2004 602 2,204 2,806 
		
	
	Source:
	RDS-NOMS

Relocation

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people in his Department (a) were relocated in 2004–05 and (b) are expected to be relocated in 2005–06 as a result of Sir Michael Lyons' independent review of public sector relocation; to which locations they have been relocated; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 7 November 2005
	During 2004–05, the Home Office announced that a corporate shared services centre for the Prison Service would be established in Newport (Monmouthshire) by March 2008. That would create 500 posts in South Wales and reduce the number of comparable posts, in London and the South East, by around 620 as well as reducing administration support posts in prison establishments across the country.
	By the end of 2004–05, a further 320 posts had been created in Sheffield (70 posts) and the regions more widely (250 posts), avoiding post creation in London and the South East in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate. During 2005–06, the Home Office will continue to review scope to relocate posts away from London and the South East in support of the Government's policy following Sir Michael Lyon's review.

Reoffenders

Ian Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convicted criminals re-offended while on bail in the last period for which figures are available.

Hazel Blears: Information on re-offending while on bail is not collected centrally.

Sexual Offenders

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action is being taken by his Department to increase the provision of treatment for sex offenders in prison.

Fiona Mactaggart: The range of accredited sex offender treatment programmes delivered by the Prison Service have been increased this year. These sex offender treatment programmes are designed to address different levels of risk and need. Resources are concentrated on those who are in prison long enough to benefit from a full programme. Some who do not attend a programme in prison may do so while on licence in the community.

Terrorism

Peter Law: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with his Australian counterpart on the operation of detention policy for (a) terrorist suspects and (b) those suspected of aiding terrorists.

Hazel Blears: My right hon. Friend met Phil Ruddock, the Australian Attorney General, on 27 October to discuss all aspects of anti-terrorism legislation.

Terrorism

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department requested United Kingdom police forces to contact hon. Members on the subject of the Terrorism Bill.

Hazel Blears: In the debate in the House of Commons on 2 November, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary, suggested that over the weekend Members of Parliament discuss the counter-terrorism issues with their constituents, and highlighted the importance of professional advice from local police.
	On 3 November, he suggested to ACPO that Chief Constables write to MPs in their police authority area, making themselves or relevant senior officers available to MPs, of all parties, who wanted to know their local police attitude to these issues. He naturally made clear that this should not be on a party political basis. Chief Constables responded to this in a number of different ways ranging from taking no action to setting out their views. The Government believe that it is entirely proper for the Police Service—who are tasked with protecting our security—to make the case for new powers which they have sought and which they feel are necessary to protect the nation, as they did over a period of time with this proposal.

Women Prisoners

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women in Wales were sentenced to a period of imprisonment in the last five years, broken down by prison.

Fiona Mactaggart: The number of women sentenced in Welsh courts and their destination establishment from 2000 to 2004 is in the following table, as recorded on the Prison Service IT system.
	
		Number of women sentenced from Welsh courts and their destination prison establishment
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2000  
			 Total 299 
			 Brockhill 1 
			 Drake Hall 1 
			 Eastwood Park 234 
			 Low Newton 2 
			 Styal 61 
			 2001  
			 Total 349 
			 Brockhill 5 
			 Drake Hall 2 
			 Eastwood Park 262 
			 Highpoint 1 
			 Holloway 1 
			 New Hall 9 
			 Styal 69 
			   
			 2002  
			 Total 312 
			 Brockhill 4 
			 Downview 1 
			 Eastwood Park 232 
			 Holloway 1 
			 New Hall 4 
			 Styal 70 
			   
			 2003  
			 Total 330 
			 Buckley Hall 3 
			 Brockhill 4 
			 Eastwood Park 260 
			 Foston Hall 3 
			 Holloway 2 
			 New Hall 1 
			 Styal 57 
			   
			 2004  
			 Total 373 
			 Brockhill 2 
			 Bullwood Hall 2 
			 Eastwood Park 298 
			 New hall 6 
			 Styal 65

Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the findings of the research project into the impact of section 41 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 to be published.

Fiona Mactaggart: At the present time it is planned to publish the findings of the research into the impact of section 41 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 in the spring of 2006.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Council Tax

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the band D council tax was in 2004–05, in the billing authorities affected by the 2004–05 in-year capping designation, giving separately (a) pre-capping band D bill for the whole billing authority and (b) the post-capping band D bill for the whole billing authority; and what the average parish precepts were in each case.

Phil Woolas: The information requested is tabled as follows:
	
		£
		
			 Local authority Pre-capping band D area council tax Post-capping band D area council tax Average parish precept band D(22) 
		
		
			 Bromsgrove(23) 1,183 1,179 12 
			 Fenland 1,210 1,200 16 
			 Herefordshire 1,185 1,178 28 
			 Malvern Hills(23) 1,183 1,180 51 
			 Nottingham 1,259 1,257 0 
			 Redditch(23) 1,192 1,189 0 
			 Shepway 1,230 1,214 17 
			 Torbay 1,168 1,155 0 
			 Worcester(23) 1,159 1,155 2 
			 Wychavon(23) 1,146 1,142 28 
			 Wyre Forest(23) 1,200 1,196 9 
		
	
	(22) This is the aggregate amount of parish precepts within the billing authority's area divided by the tax base for the whole of the billing authority's area. Only parts of the area of some billing authorities are parished, however, although precise information on this is not held centrally. In such cases, the figure shown is understating the average parish precept for parished areas.
	(23) These authorities were not themselves capped, but had their area council tax reduced due to the capping of Hereford and Worcester Fire Authority.
	In 2003–04, the last year in which capping powers were not exercised, the average council tax increase in England was 12.9 per cent. This reduced to 5.9 per cent. in 2004–05 and fell again to 4.1 per cent. in 2005–06—in both these years, the Government made clear that they were prepared to use their powers to cap excessive council tax increases.

English Partnerships

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much money has been raised by English Partnerships in each of the last four years through the sale of assets in Milton Keynes.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 15 November 2005
	English Partnerships (EP) has received the following amounts in receipts from Milton Keynes over the last four years;
	
		
			  Receipts £ million 
		
		
			 2001–02 74 
			 2002–03 58 
			 2003–04 77 
			 2004–05 136 
			 Total 345 
		
	
	Within Milton Keynes, EP is looking at mechanisms to unlock payments for key infrastructure and a new local delivery vehicle, the Milton Keynes Partnership, has been established. The partnership has been given planning powers to help facilitate growth in a defined urban development area. Within this area plans and costings have been drawn up to guide development and the infrastructure needed to support growth.

Firefighters

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many (a) part-time and (b) full-time firefighters serviced (i) Northamptonshire and (ii) Kettering constituency in each year since 1997.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The number of part-time and full-time firefighters in Northamptonshire in each year since 1997 was as follows:
	
		
			 As at 31 March: Retained (part-time) Whole-time (full-time) 
		
		
			 1997 221 286 
			 1998 226 294 
			 1999 221 293 
			 2000 221 296 
			 2001 221 296 
			 2002 242 292 
			 2003 228 307 
			 2004 220 311 
		
	
	Source:
	ODPM annual returns.
	Information on the number of firefighters at the constituency level are not available.

Gershon Review

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the total amount of money to be saved from Gershon initiative efficiency savings in local government in England; and how those savings will be treated in relation to local government financing.

Phil Woolas: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister expects local government (including councils, schools, police, and fire authorities) to achieve at least £6.45 billion of efficiency gains by 2007–08, of which at least half should be cashable gains, releasing money that can be reallocated elsewhere. The remainder will be non-cashable, with improved performance achieved from the resources used. Councils retain the resources they release through the achievement of efficiency gains and are free to determine how to use cashable efficiency gains, whether for reinvestment in local services or to hold down council tax.

Home Improvement Packs

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans the Government have to conduct a pilot scheme for home improvement packs; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: A dry run of the home information packs process will take place during 2006 to facilitate a smooth transition from using elements of packs on a voluntary basis to implementation of a mandatory scheme throughout England and Wales in 2007. A central aim of the dry run is to meet the property industry's needs for assurance that the process will operate effectively in the best interests of consumers. The form of assurance required varies between different parts of the industry, and we are in discussion with a wide range of stakeholders about their assurance requirements and how these can best be met. The outcome of these discussions will determine the final detail of the dry run.
	The first phase of this assurance process is already under way, with an ever growing number of estate agents, conveyancers and others providing home information packs on a voluntary basis. We are monitoring these activities through feedback from pack providers and home buyers and sellers. We envisage that by the second half of 2006 all the components of the statutory home information pack will be available. This will provide the opportunity for systems, processes and procedures to be fully tested and fine-tuned during the period leading up to implementation. This will involve a continuous process of testing and feedback across the whole industry. Feedback from industry and consumers will be monitored and assessed continually and will inform the making of any necessary changes to the process at the earliest opportunity.

Standards Board

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what advice the Standards Board has issued to (a) councillors and (b) monitoring officers in relation to whether a ward councillor may sit on a licensing sub-committee under the Licensing Act 2003 considering an application for a premises in their ward; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The Standards Board has issued no specific advice to either monitoring officers or councillors of the sort referred to. The board has issued general guidance on members' responsibilities under the conduct regime for local government, including the requirements relating to the declaration of interests.

Local Government Funding

Michael Penning: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what impact he expects changes in the local government formula grant to have on public services delivered by (a) Dacorum borough council and (b) Hertfordshire county council.

Phil Woolas: Final decisions on possible changes to the formula grant distribution system have not yet been announced.
	The provision of local services is a matter for Dacorum borough council and Hertfordshire county council themselves, bearing in mind their statutory responsibilities.

Local Government Funding

Michael Penning: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what responses relating to the local government finance consultation he has received from (a) Dacorum borough council and (b) Hertfordshire county council; and when the responses were received.

Phil Woolas: One response to the consultation on formula grant distribution was received by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister from Hertfordshire county council. Three Members of Parliament also responded to the consultation in support of Hertfordshire county council. The representation from the county council was received on 10 October—the closing date of the consultation period.
	No response to the consultation was received from Dacorum borough council.

Local Government Pension Scheme

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the estimated total (a) assets and (b) liabilities are of the local government pension scheme; what assumptions underlay the calculation of the liability; what discount rate has been used; and what the liability would be if a discount rate was used equivalent to the yield on index linked gilts.

Phil Woolas: The most recent actuarial valuation of the local government pension scheme in England and Wales, carried out on 31 March 2004, showed assets of £80 billion and total liabilities of £107 billion. An actuarial valuation of each of the 89 pensions funds in the scheme is undertaken by actuary's appointed by the relevant local authority and the remaining information requested is consequently not held centrally.

Local Government Pension Scheme

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many local government manual workers who began employment before 1991 completed 12 months' service entitling them to membership of the local government pension scheme.

Phil Woolas: The information requested is not held centrally, and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Housing

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what proportion of Tamworth's council housing stock has been sold under the right-to-buy scheme in each year since 1980;

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) how many council homes were sold under the right-to-buy scheme in Tamworth in each year since 1980.

Yvette Cooper: The number of local authority dwellings sold under the right-to-buy scheme since 1980 are listed in the following table. The table also shows the right-to-buy sales as a proportion of local authority stock.
	
		
			 Financial year RTB sales Stock at beginning of period Proportion sold each year (percentage) 
		
		
			 1980–81 0 8,693 0.00 
			 1981–82 2 8,850 0.02 
			 1982–83 5 8,587 0.06 
			 1983–84 2 8,364 0.02 
			 1984–85 0 8,269 0.00 
			 1985–86 0 7,854 0.00 
			 1986–87 136 7,676 1.77 
			 1987–88 174 7,491 2.32 
			 1988–89 419 7,296 5.74 
			 1989–90 311 6,820 4.56 
			 1990–91 168 6,504 2.58 
			 1991–92 89 6,399 1.39 
			 1992–93 54 6,368 0.85 
			 1993–94 57 6,310 0.90 
			 1994–95 81 6,234 1.30 
			 1995–96 67 6,168 1.09 
			 1996–97 69 6,104 1.13 
			 1997–98 152 6,034 2.52 
			 1998–99 98 5,883 1.67 
			 1999–2000 147 5,785 2.54 
			 2000–01 116 5,634 2.06 
			 2001–02 164 5,522 2.97 
			 2002–03 226 5,356 4.22 
			 2003–04 240 5,131 4.68 
			 2004–05 139 4,891 2.84

Housing

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many affordable homes he expects will be built in (a) Northamptonshire and (b) Kettering constituency in each year to (i) 2011, (ii) 2021 and (iii) 2031 as part of the growth area agenda.

Yvette Cooper: The Regional Spatial Strategy for the East Midlands (RSS 8) outlines the general approach to affordable housing provision in the region. Policy 17 of the Strategy states that the level of affordable housing to be provided should be justified by local housing need assessments.
	Policy 17 does not set an affordable housing target for the region. However, it does state that the appropriate indicator for monitoring whether affordable housing need across the East Midlands as a whole is being met is around 3,950 dwellings per annum. This represents 25 per cent. of the total housing provision identified by the Strategy between 2001 and 2021.
	Any specific affordable housing targets for Northamptonshire Districts will be set by Local Planning Authorities in their Local Development Frameworks.

Housing

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many affordable homes were provided by housing associations in (a) Northamptonshire and (b) Kettering constituency in each year since 1997.

Yvette Cooper: The number of affordable dwellings provided by housing associations on behalf of, (a) local authorities within Northamptonshire and (b) Kettering local authority are tabled as follows.
	
		Number of affordable dwellings(24)
		
			 Financial year Northamptonshire Kettering 
		
		
			 1997–98 509 18 
			 1998–99 613 91 
			 1999–2000 406 56 
			 2000–01 423 38 
			 2001–02 494 41 
			 2002–03 402 74 
			 2003–04 361 26 
			 2004–05 599 89 
		
	
	(24) Includes affordable dwellings built and acquisitions for rent and shared ownership. Figures prior to 2001–02 exclude dwellings provided through S. 106 agreements and without Housing Corporation funding.
	Sources:
	Housing Corporation, Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix return to ODPM

Housing

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many housing associations were in receipt of Government funding (a) in England, (b) in Northamptonshire and (c) in Kettering constituency in each year since 1997.

Yvette Cooper: The number of housing associations which received approval for funding via the Housing Corporation Approved Development Programme each year since 1997 are detailed in the table as follows.
	
		Total number of housing associations
		
			  (a) England (b) Northamptonshire (c) Kettering 
		
		
			 1997–98 385 15 6 
			 1998–99 496 11 2 
			 1999–2000 512 16 3 
			 2000–01 489 13 4 
			 2001–02 447 14 7 
			 2002–03 454 22 3 
			 2003–04 415 17 2 
			 2004–05 378 19 3

Housing

Michael Penning: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many units of affordable housing have been built in Hemel Hempstead constituency in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: Information is not available for the constituency of Hemel Hempstead. Affordable homes built on behalf of Dacorum local authority district are tabled as follows.
	
		Dacorum, affordable homes built
		
			 Financial year Number of dwellings(25) 
		
		
			 2000–01 96 
			 2001–02 0 
			 2002–03 108 
			 2003–04 135 
			 2004–05 15 
		
	
	(25) Includes affordable new dwellings built for rent and for shared ownership. Figures prior to 2001–02 exclude dwellings provided through S. 106 agreements and without Housing Corporation funding.
	Sources:
	Housing Corporation, Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix return to ODPM.

Housing

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much housing market renewal grant funding has been allocated to the demolition of properties in each Pathfinder area in (a) 2004–05 and (b) 2005–06.

Yvette Cooper: The following table shows our estimate of the amount of Housing Market Renewal Funding (HMRF) spent on demolitions, new build and refurbishment in each of the pathfinders where this information is available for 2004–05. Data for 2005–06 has not yet been collected.
	
		£ million
		
			 Pathfinder HMRF spent on Demolition 2004–05 HMRF spent on new build 2004–05 HMRF spent on Refurbishment 2004–05 
		
		
			 Birmingham Sandwell 0.43 3.76 0.16 
			 East Lancashire 0.72 0 6.09 
			 Hull and East Riding 0 0 0 
			 Manchester Salford n/a 0 18.89 
			 Merseyside 0.32 0.38 1.17 
			 Newcastle Gateshead 1.14 0.95 n/a 
			 North Staffordshire 1.38 0.34 1.27 
			 Oldham and Rochdale 0.24 0 1.95 
			 South Yorkshire 6.87 0 14.33 
			 Total 11.10 5.43 43.86

Housing

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 18 July 2005, Official Report, column 1433W, on empty homes, how many of the empty homes in (a) Kettering, (b) East Midlands and (c) England were under local authority ownership.

Yvette Cooper: The number of empty council homes in (a) Kettering, (b) East Midlands and (c) England at 1 April 2005 is presented in the following table:
	
		Number of local authority owned empty homes at 1 April 2005
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Kettering 57 
			 East Midlands 5,000 
			 England 48,600 
		
	
	Source:
	ODPM's Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix

Local Government Finance

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his Answer of 23 May 2005, Official Report, column 35W, on local government finance, if he will publish estimates for each local authority for 2005–06.

Phil Woolas: The requested information has been placed in the Library of the House.

Local Government Finance

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much (a) his Department and (b) the Lyons review have allocated to commissioning research from outside bodies in relation to local government finance in the past five years; and what research has been commissioned by his Department's Local and Regional Government Research Unit in relation to local government finance.

Phil Woolas: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) currently expects to have spent £2.01 million overall on 32 research projects by outside bodies in relation to local government finance across the five financial years from 2000–01 to 2005–06. Of that total £230,000 relates to research commissioned on behalf of the Lyons inquiry into local government.
	These 32 projects have been commissioned through the ODPM's Local and Regional Government Research Programme. They are as follows:
	Project title
	Evaluation of asset management plans and capital strategies
	Evaluation of the Bellwin scheme
	Review of visitors indicators used in Formula Spending Shares
	Review of the seasonal adjustment of benefit claimants data
	Evaluation of the Single Capital Pot
	Examples of best practice in local government asset management and capital strategies
	An evaluation of the role of property owners in Business Improvement Districts
	LG Finance Independent Inquiry—Research Support: Project 1—English review of evidence
	LG Finance Independent Inquiry—Research Support: Project 2—International review of evidence
	LG Finance Independent Inquiry—Research Support: Project 3—Application of international evidence
	LG Finance Independent Inquiry—Research Support: Project 4—User-satisfaction Qualitative evidence
	LG Finance Independent Inquiry—Research Support: Project 5—User-satisfaction Quantitative evidence
	LG Finance Independent Inquiry—Research Support: Project 6—Research Support seminars
	The rebilling costs faced by LAs as a result of council tax capping
	Modelling Options for Transitional Arrangements
	Small Business Rate Relief Survey
	LG Service Diversity—practice and public attitudes
	International lessons in balance of funding
	Public knowledge and attitudes to balance of funding
	Relationships between balance of funding and voter turnout
	Developing the Single Capital Pot assessment process
	Public knowledge and use of information on LA expenditure
	Prudential framework
	Definition of an LA company
	Consulting local taxpayers on local tax and spend decision: good practice guidance
	Up-dating census indicators
	Further fixed and variable costs
	Business attitudes towards local government
	Review of the EPCS block Formulae
	Evaluation of the Capital Challenge scheme
	Data catalogue for potential use in SSAs
	Refining the ACA: potential application of NHS methodology and updating base year data

Markets

Hugo Swire: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent discussions (a) he and (b) his Department have had with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on the future of (i) the Red House cold store on West Poultry Avenue and (ii) the Fish Market and the Smithfield general market buildings on Farringdon Road, Snow Hill and West Poultry Avenue.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 11 November 2005
	Neither my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister or officials in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister have had any recent discussions with the Department for Culture Media and Sport on these matters.

Village Shops

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the impact of business rate reductions for village shops.

Janet Dean: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the scheme for reduced business rates for village shops.

Phil Woolas: No detailed assessment has yet been made of the effectiveness of this scheme.
	In April 1997 the Government introduced 50 per cent. rate relief for sole village general stores or post offices. In 2001 this was extended to include sole village public houses, petrol stations and village food shops. In addition the local authority can grant discretionary relief. This scheme provided almost £8 million in rate relief to over 8,000 businesses in 2003–04.
	From 1 April 2005 many small businesses that do not qualify for the relief under this scheme may be eligible for the new small business rate relief.

HEALTH

Auto-immune Diseases

Janet Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment has been made of the effects of mycophenolate mofetil on patients with auto-immune diseases, with particular reference to (a) scleroderma and (b) systemic lupus erythematosus;
	(2)  what the average cost is of treatment of an auto-immune disease with (a) mycophenolate mofetil and (b) cyclophosphamide;
	(3)  what guidance has been issued to primary care trusts on the prescription of mycophenolate mofetil for the treatment of auto-immune disease;
	(4)  which hospitals in England are prescribing mycophenolate mofetil for patients with auto-immune diseases;
	(5)  how many patients with auto-immune diseases are being prescribed mycophenolate mofetil from a (a) hospital consultant and (b) general practitioner;
	(6)  how many primary care trusts have agreed to fund mycophenolate mofetil for patients with auto-immune diseases.

Jane Kennedy: The Department has not commissioned or undertaken any research into the use of mycophenolate mofetil for patients with auto-immune diseases.
	Statistical information on the use of mycophenolate mofetil or cyclophosphamide is not collected centrally in the forms requested.

Cancelled Operations

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many operations were cancelled by West Hertfordshire hospital trust (a) for medical reasons and (b) because of a lack of beds at (i) St. Albans hospital, (ii) Hemel Hempstead hospital and (iii) Watford hospital in each month between January 2004 and September 2005.

Rosie Winterton: The information is not collected in the format requested. However, the table shows the number of cancelled operations for non-clinical reasons for West Hertfordshire hospital national health service trust, which St. Albans hospital, Hemel Hempstead hospital and Watford hospital are a part of.
	
		Cancelled operations for non-clinical reasons, Department of Health dataset, Quarterly Monitoring of Cancelled Operations (QMCO)
		
			   Number of last minute cancellations for non-clinical reasons in the quarter 
		
		
			 West Hertfordshire Hospital Trust(26): 
			 Q4 January 2004 to March 2004 301 
			 Ql April 2004 to June 2004 164 
			 Q2 July 2004 to September 2004 153 
			 Q3 October 2004 to December 2004 189 
			 Q4 January 2005 to March 2005 160 
			 Ql April 2005 to June 2005 99 
		
	
	(26) Data are not collected for individual hospitals.

Cancer

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the Department's research and development priorities in cancer treatment.

Jane Kennedy: holding answer 3 November 2005
	The main agency through which the Government supports medical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council (MRC). The MRC is an independent body funded by the Department of Trade and Industry via the Office of Science and Technology.
	The Department's priorities for cancer research were set out in the NHS Cancer Plan (September 2000). These priorities include working with all those involved in the funding and delivery of cancer research to establish the National Cancer Research Institute; committing funds to support the national health service infrastructure for clinical cancer research in the form of the National Cancer Research Network; and supporting specific programmes of cancer research in areas of high priority including epidemiology, prevention, screening, genetics, primary care and palliative care.

Cancer

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the average waiting times for radiotherapy in the NHS, broken down by (a) radical and (b) palliative treatment intent.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 28 October 2005
	Data on waiting times for radiotherapy is not collected centrally. From information provided by the Royal College of Radiologists we understand that waiting times for radiotherapy in some parts of the country are unacceptably long.
	The NHS Cancer Plan set out maximum waiting time targets for cancer treatment, which include radiotherapy where this is given as a first definitive treatment. Standards of a maximum wait of one month from diagnosis to first treatment and a maximum two month wait from urgent general practitioner referral to first treatment for breast cancer are already in place. From December 2005 these targets will be in place for all cancer patients.
	To tackle radiotherapy waiting times we are increasing the numbers of therapy radiographers in post and in training, making better use of existing staff, making unprecedented investment in new radiotherapy equipment, and streamlining the patient journey.

Capital Investment (Liverpool Hospitals)

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has for new capital investment in the (a) Royal Liverpool university hospital and (b) Royal Liverpool children's hospital at Alder Hey.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 8 November 2005
	Plans are in hand with regard to the redevelopment of the Royal Liverpool university hospital and Alder Hey hospital. These redevelopments will be achieved via the private finance initiative. They form part of a redevelopment programme involving four national health service trusts in the North Merseyside area. The strategic outline case for this was approved in July 2004. The Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen university hospitals NHS trust and the Royal Liverpool children's NHS trust are currently in the process of developing the relevant outline business cases which will determine the overall size and scope of these schemes prior to them going out to tender.

Clinical Negligence Payments

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many successful clinical negligence claims were made against each hospital in hospital trusts in the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority in 2004–05; and what the total cost of all successful claims was against each hospital.

Liam Byrne: The information requested is not held centrally.

Dentistry

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS dentists are operating in Morecambe and Lunesdale.

Rosie Winterton: As at 30 September 2005, there were 42 national health service dentists with a general dental services or personal dental services contract within the Morecambe and Lunesdale parliamentary constituency.

Dentistry

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action she is taking to improve dental services in Wakefield.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 10 November 2005
	The Wakefield West primary care trust (PCT) and the Eastern Wakefield PCT have been working with dental practices in Wakefield to support them in moving over to the new personal dental service (PDS) contract.
	The Wakefield West PCT has received £2.2 million, and the Eastern Wakefield PCT £1.4 million, growth money from the Department for practices transferring to PDS. In addition, the Wakefield West PCT has received £143,000 for capital grants and £61,000 revenue for access, and the Eastern Wakefield PCT has received £106,000 for capital grants and £45,000 revenue for access.
	As a result of both the access money and growth money, the Wakefield PCTs have been able to increase national health service dental registrations by 16,000 since March 2004.
	The PCTs plan to improve access further. A new dental practice, staffed by international dentists, is scheduled to open in Wakefield in January 2006 and is expected to achieve a further 16,000 registrations. Two other dentists, internationally recruited, are already working within the Eastern Wakefield PCT area.
	The Wakefield West PCT has been working to establish a dental registration telephone line to facilitate patient registrations. The Wakefield PCTs also provide an emergency dental access service for unregistered patients, facilitated by NHS Direct, who assess patient needs and offer appointments with local dentists. Furthermore, the weekend urgent dental service has been extended to cover appointments between 9 am and 5 pm on Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays.

Diagnostic Scans

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many diagnostic scans were carried out in the NHS in 2004.

Liam Byrne: Data on the total number of diagnostic scans is not centrally available. Data is collected on the number of imaging and radiodiagnostic examinations or tests. The latest data, for 2003–04, is available at: www.performance.doh.gov.uk/hospitalactivity

Health Services (Contractors)

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 5 July 2005, Official Report, column 349W, on Health Services (Contractors), what the value is of each of the contracts agreed with the independent sector provider.

Liam Byrne: The value of individual contracts with the independent sector cannot be disclosed due to issues of commercial confidentiality.

Housing

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the individual budget pilots will clarify the relationship between the Single Assessment Process and the housing sector, including Supporting People.

Liam Byrne: The programme of individual budget pilots that is currently being developed will include two housing related income streams: supporting people and disabled facilities grants. The pilot sites will between them cover all main adult client groups to whom social services are provided. A number of pilots will be looking at services and support for older people.
	The pilot programme will offer opportunities to look at assessment needs and how they are identified and met, including the scope for integration between assessment processes for the various funding streams involved.

Housing

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of responses to the Green Paper on Independence Well-being and Choice included comments on the contribution of housing and housing-related services to the quality of care; and what action she plans to take in response.

Liam Byrne: The Green Paper Independence, Well-being and Choice received 21,000 comments. Of these, 250 specifically mentioned housing.
	There is no specific information available on housing related services, although 74 per cent. of responses supported the vision set out in the Green Paper. This promotes choice and independent living, as well as promoting the protection of people whose particular circumstances might make them vulnerable.
	A copy of the Green Paper analysis 'Responses to the consultation on adult social care in England: Analysis of feedback from the Green Paper Independence Well-being and Choice is available in the Library.
	The outcome of the consultation is being fed into the White Paper 'Your Health, Your Say, Your Care'

Medway Primary Care Trust

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients from (a) Sheppey and (b) Sittingbourne were treated by Medway Primary Care Trust in Medway hospitals in (i) 2003–04 and (ii) 2004–05.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 7 November 2005
	The number of patients from Sheppey and Sittingbourne who were treated by Medway Primary Care Trust (PCT) in Medway Hospitals in 2003–04 is shown in the table. However, the figures for the number of patients treated in 2004–05 are not available as they have not yet been published.
	
		Finished consultant episodes and patients treated in Medway NHS Trust 2003–04
		
			 Finished consultant episodes Patient counts 
		
		
			 900 637 
		
	
	Notes:
	Finished Consultant Episode (FCE)
	A FCE is defined as a period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that the figures do not represent the number of patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the year.
	Patient Counts
	Patient counts are based on the unique patient identifier HESID. This identifier is derived based on patient's date of birth, postcode, sex, local patient identifier and NHS number, using an agreed algorithm. Where data are incomplete, HESID might erroneously link episodes or fail to recognise episodes for the same patient. Care is therefore needed, especially where duplicate records persist in the data. The patient count cannot be summed across a table where patients may have episodes in more than one cell.
	Ungrossed Data
	Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in date, that is the data are ungrossed.
	Source:
	Hospital Episodes Statistics (HES), NHS Health and Social Care Information Centre

Midwifery

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many vacant positions there are for midwives in the NHS; what plans her Department has to recruit more midwives into the NHS; what recent estimate she has made of the effect on NHS budgets of extended stays in hospital caused by shortage of midwives; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: The national health service work force vacancy survey collects information on the number of vacancies for midwives lasting three months or more; which represent those vacancies NHS organisations are finding hard to fill. As at March 2005, there were 348 three month vacancies for midwives, which represents a rate of 1.8 per cent., which is a fall from 3.3 per cent. the previous year.
	The Department has issued a six point action plan to address midwifery work force issues, which includes; increasing training places for midwives, improving working lives, filling vacancies in hard to fill areas and raising the profile of midwifery. Information is not collected on the establishment of NHS organisations, however, as at September 2004, there were 24,844 midwives employed in the NHS, which is an increase of almost 2,300 since 1997. We recognise that there are still shortages of midwives in some areas of the country and expect that numbers employed in the NHS will increase as a result of increased numbers entering training and better retention.
	No estimate has been made of the cost to the NHS of extended stays in hospital.

Morecambe Bay Hospital Trust

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses have been employed by Morecambe Bay hospital trust in each year since 1997.

Liam Byrne: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		National health service hospital and community health services: qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff(27) in the Morecambe Bay Hospitals NHS Trust as at 30 September each specified year
		
			  Headcount 
		
		
			 1998 1,350 
			 1999 1,473 
			 2000 1,411 
			 2001 1,465 
			 2002 1,456 
			 2003 1,479 
			 2004 1,529 
		
	
	(27) Figures exclude bank staff. The number of nursing bank staff returned by the Trust for the 2004 census was incorrect, and bank staff numbers have been excluded in order to be consistent.
	Source:
	Health and Social Care Information Centre Non-Medical Workforce Census.

National Service Framework for Older People

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many integrated continence services have been set up in England; how many are planned to be established; and when she expects to meet the target for continence services set out in the National Service Framework for Older People.

Liam Byrne: The Healthcare Commission, Commission for Social Care Inspection, the Audit Commission and Kings College London are working together to produce a national report on progress in England on implementation of the national service framework for older people. It is planned to publish the report in December 2005.

NHS Employers

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are employed by NHS Employers; and what its annual budget has been since establishment.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 28 October 2005
	NHS Employers was established from 1 November 2004.
	For 2005–06, the budget from the Department of Health is £14.8 million. This is for a mixture of running costs including salaries for 106.5 staff and programme expenditure.

NHS Finance

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her oral answer to the hon. Member for Wimbledon (Stephen Hammond) of 25 October 2005, Official Report, column 156, on NHS finance, how many NHS organisations were in deficit in each year since 1997; and what the level of deficit was in each year.

Patricia Hewitt: The information requested is provided in the table. This shows the number of national health service organisations reporting a deficit between 1996–97 and 2004–05.
	
		
			  Total number of bodies in existence Total number in deficit Total net (deficit)/surplus (£ million) 
		
		
			 1996–97 529 209 (460) 
			 1997–98 525 197 (122) 
			 1998–99 502 146 (19) 
			 1999–2000 476 209 (129) 
			 2000–01 455 40 111 
			 2001–02 577 50 71 
			 2002–03 607 71 96 
			 2003–04 600 106 73 
			 2004–05 600 167 (252) 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Please note these may not sum due to rounding.
	2. The figures in the table are from the audited summarisation schedules from 1996–97 to 2004–05.
	3. The figures for 2004–05 include NHS foundation trusts.
	I regret that on 25 October at column 156, I stated that three quarters of NHS organisations were in deficit, eight years ago. On further reflection, it would have been clearer and more helpful to have said that it was three quarters of health authorities that were in deficit eight years ago.
	I have written to the hon. Member concerned, the Member for Wimbledon (Stephen Hammond) to apologise.

Nurses

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what financial provision is available for nurses returning to the profession after a break.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 8 November 2005
	I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend, the former Minister of State for Health (Mr. Hutton) on 24 March 2005, Official Report, column 1066W.

Primary Care Trust (Funding)

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the funding per capita was for each primary care trust in each of the last three years; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Radiotherapy

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimate she has made of the average waiting times for (a) radical and (b) palliative radiotherapy in the area covered by West Hertfordshire hospital trust.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not held centrally.

Rehabilitation Services

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what national standards there are for rehabilitation services for blind and partially-sighted people.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 10 November 2005
	Rehabilitation services for blind and partially sighted people are predominantly provided by local authorities and to some extent national health service trusts.
	The Association of Directors of Social Services published national standards of social care for visually impaired adults in October 2002. The Department funded the Improving Lives Coalition, from 2003 to 2005, to help them to raise awareness and to publicise the standards. The final report is available at: www.adss.org.uk/eyes.shtml

Rehabilitation Services

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what terms of reference have been given to the Department's scoping of the provision of rehabilitation services in the NHS and social services; and when she expects this work to be completed.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 10 November 2005
	The Department's scoping study is looking at rehabilitation services currently provided by the national health service and social care, with the aim of
	mapping levels of provision and models of service and, where possible, the cost-effectiveness of rehabilitative services;
	identifying any gaps in provision;
	identifying good practice exemplars; and
	identifying opportunities to improve services.
	Ministers will be considering the results of the study in December.

School Nurses

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many school nurses are practising in Hemel Hempstead constituency.

Rosie Winterton: The number of school nurses is not collected in the format requested. However, the table shows the number of school nurses in the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire strategic health authority area, which includes Hemel Hempstead.
	
		NHS hospital and community health services: qualified nurses in the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire strategic health authority area in the school nursing1, 2 area of work as at 30 September 2005
		
			  Headcount 
		
		
			 All qualified school nursing 85 
			 Qualified school nurses(28) 42 
			 School nursing nurses(29) 43 
		
	
	(28) Only registered nurses with a specific school nursing qualification are defined as qualified school nurses.
	(29) Other qualified nurses who work in the school nursing area of work but do not hold a specific school nursing qualification.
	Source:
	Health and Social Care Information Centre Non-Medical Workforce Census.

Sleep Apnoea

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research the Government have commissioned on the effects of continuous positive airway pressure equipment for people suffering from sleep apnoea.

Liam Byrne: The NHS Executive South East funded a research project in 2000 on the effectiveness of continuous positive airway pressure treatment for those suffering from sleep apnoea.
	Details can be found on the Department's research findings register at www.refer.nhs.uk

Vaccinations

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the impact of the new general medical services contract on the provision of childhood vaccination services.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 11 November 2005
	Immunisation coverage levels are used to assess uptake in the population and the overall effectiveness of services under general medical services (GMS). Coverage levels at 12 months of age increased slightly in January to March 2005 compared to the previous quarter and are now around 91 per cent. At 24 months uptake levels for all vaccines were between 93 per cent. and 94 per cent. Coverage with measles, mumps and rubella at 24 months has increased by 2.2 per cent. to 83 per cent. for April to June 2005, compared with the previous quarter.
	The target payment scheme used in the previous 1990 general practitioner contract is part of the GMS contract. The incentives in the scheme include targets at 70 per cent. and 90 per cent. Based on 2004 strategic health authority data, 93 per cent. of practices achieved the higher target payment of 90 per cent., and the remaining 7 per cent., between 70 per cent. and 89 per cent.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Academies

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 8 November 2005, Official Report, columns 453–54W, whether those referred to as other sources and partners, who will supply an average 15 per cent. of capital funding for an academy, are public or private bodies.
	 Question number missing in Hansard, possibly truncated question.

Phil Hope: National Skills Academies will contribute to the competitiveness of our industries and the modernisation of our public services by operating as focused networks providing local delivery, contributing to regional development and addressing national sector skills shortages. There will be a wide range of partners who would benefit directly from the development of a National Skills Academy in their sector, particularly if the Academy is located near their own centre of operations. These will include local employers and training providers and local authorities, and larger employers and regional development agencies who will have regional priorities for skills development.
	The source, amount and therefore proportions of capital funding provided by private and public sector partners to supplement the investment from the lead employer sponsors and the Learning and Skills Council, will be agreed as part of Business Plan development and approval. These Business Plans, which are expected in late spring 2006, will vary from sector to sector.

Academies

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the new skills academies in (a) manufacturing, (b) construction, (c) food and drink and (d) financial services.
	 Question number missing in Hansard, possibly truncated question.

Phil Hope: A modern, successful economy with high performing, productive workplaces must have an education and training system delivering top quality learning driven by the needs and ambitions of employers and individuals. National Skills Academies will be a key element of this, helping to transform the quality and status of vocational education and training. Employers are leading the establishment of National Skills Academies and investing their own funds in the development of national centres of excellence for their sector. These centres will work in partnership with the public education sector to deliver high quality and responsive learning to young people and adults.
	We recently announced (31 October) the first four sectors that will move forward to the business planning phase of the National Skills Academy programme. The sectors are Construction, Manufacturing, Food and Drink and Financial Services. We expect robust business plans to be developed by April 2006. Once the plans have been agreed with the Learning and Skills Council, more detailed information on each of the proposed National Skills Academies will be available.

Apprenticeships

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the funding mechanism is for training organisations providing apprenticeships.

Phil Hope: The Learning and Skills Council has responsibility for planning and funding work based learning for young people in England up to the age of 24. It has set out its approach to funding Apprenticeships in the document 'Requirements for Funding Work Based Learning for Young People 2005/06', which can be found at www.lsc.gov.uk/National/Documents/SubjectListing/FundingLearning/WorkBasedLearning The document constitutes an integral part of the LSC's funding agreement, conditions of funding (Grant), conditions of funding (employers) and the financial memorandum with providers.

Bichard Report

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what changes she proposes for disclosure of details of sexual activity by minors when coming into contact with health professionals in response to the Bichard Report.

Beverley Hughes: Current Department of Health guidance stresses the importance of confidentiality for under 16s. However, it makes it clear that health professionals must take time to explore whether each individual case may involve coercion or abuse. Where there is cause for concern the case would be referred through local child protection procedures.
	The public consultation on Working Together to safeguard children sought views on when and how to share information to protect sexually active young people from harm and abuse, following the recommendations in the Bichard Inquiry Report. The consultation exercise ended on 28 October and we are now considering the responses. We aim to issue the revised version of Working Together in the near future.

Carbon Management Programme

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether her Department will sign up to the Carbon Trust's Carbon Management programme.

Maria Eagle: The Government estate has been set a target within the Energy White paper to reduce absolute carbon, from fuel and energy use by 12.5 per cent. by 2010–11, relative to 1999–2000.
	The Department is not currently signed up to the Carbon Trust's Carbon Management programme. However, we are reviewing how this programme may compliment and fit within our existing and planned activities e.g. ISO14001 certification.

Career Guidance

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  in which areas of England graduates are eligible for free career support;
	(2)  why she has removed the right to free career guidance from anyone who achieves level 2 qualifications from 1 August; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  who is eligible for (a) one and (b) more than one free interview with an adult guidance practitioner.

Phil Hope: Every adult in England can access a free, integrated information and advice service comprising the national learndirect" telephone and on-line advice service and local nextstep" information and advice services, with no limit on the number of inquiries or advice sessions. Within the universal offer provided by learndirect" and nextstep", priority has been given since August 2004 to those adults who do not have a qualification at level 2, since they are more likely to lack the skills foundation for employability and lifelong learning, and are less likely to get a secure, well paid job. Graduates may additionally receive continued career support from their former institutions or from other higher education institutions in their area, although the decision to offer this service, with or without charge, is a matter for individual institutions.
	The White Paper Skills: getting on in business, getting on at work" set out a long-term ambition: that everyone should be able to get help if and when they want it to take stock of where they are in their lives and their careers; to review where they would like to get to; and assess what steps they can take to get there. To help determine how best to achieve this goal we are jointly conducting a review with the Department for Work and Pensions, the DTI, the LSC, Ufi learndirect", Jobcentre Plus, and the Sector Skills Development Agency which will be concluded by the end of 2006. The review will be informed by extending the learndirect" telephone service on a trial basis from January 2006 to provide more intensive personal guidance. Adults throughout England seeking to progress in their careers; wanting to gain the skills for jobs typically requiring a Level 3 qualification; and returning to work from career breaks, will benefit from the new service.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what grades were achieved by those receiving the education maintenance allowance in each year that it has been available.
	 Question number missing in Hansard, possibly truncated question.

Maria Eagle: This information is not available as we do not separately record information on qualification completion rates for those claiming education maintenance allowances.

Examination Results

Rob Marris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the public examination results were in (a) 2002, (b) 2003, (c) 2004 and (d) 2005 of the three non-selective state secondary schools nearest to each of the academies opened in (i) September 2002, (ii) September 2003 and (ii) September 2004; and what the equivalent results were in the academies themselves.

Jacqui Smith: The available information is given in the table. Figures for 2005 will be available once the School and College Achievement and Attainment Tables are published in January 2006.
	
		Percentage of 15-year-old pupils(30)achieving 5 or more A*-C grades at GCSE and equivalent(31) in 2002, 2003 and 2004 in Academies3, 4 and the three nearest non-selective maintained schools(34)
		
			  2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Academies opened in 2002:
			 Unity City Academy, Middlesbrough — 16 17 
			 Ormesby School 26 24 21 
			 Gillbrook Technology College 27 29 27 
			 The Newlands Catholic School FCJ 51 48 43 
			 
			 Greig City Academy, Haringey — 35 26 
			 Hornsey Secondary School for Girls 52 49 54 
			 Highgate Wood Secondary School 43 46 51 
			 Park View Academy 16 23 39 
			 
			 Academies opened in 2003:
			 West London Academy, Ealing — — 35 
			 Northolt High School 47 52 34 
			 Greenford High School 56 63 63 
			 Queensmead School 60 61 58 
			 
			 City of London Academy, Southwark — — — 
			 Aylwin Girls' School 30 27 33 
			 Walworth School 14 18 21 
			 St. Michael's RC School 39 53 65 
			 
			 The City Academy, City of Bristol — — 33 
			 Fairfield High School 27 55 43 
			 St. Mary Redcliffe and Temple School 78 76 77 
			 Speedwell Technology College 25 31 23 
			 
			 The King's Academy, Middlesbrough — — 34 
			 The Newlands Catholic School FCJ 51 48 43 
			 St. David's Roman Catholic Technology College 46 46 34 
			 King's Manor School, Specialist Sports College 25 31 37 
			 
			 The Academy at Peckham, Southwark — — 12 
			 The St. Thomas the Apostle College 53 53 56 
			 Walworth School 14 18 21 
			 Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Secondary School 56 73 69 
			 
			 Capital City Academy, Brent — — 29 
			 Cardinal Hinsley High School 21 27 18 
			 Convent of Jesus and Mary Language College 65 63 64 
			 Queen's Park Community School 42 44 46 
			 
			 Djanogly City Academy, Nottingham — — 51 
			 The Nottingham Bluecoat School and Technology College 53 64 51 
			 Manning Comprehensive School 19 25 24 
			 Ellis Guilford School and Sports College 37 29 39 
			 
			 Walsall Academy, Walsall — — 50 
			 Frank F. Harrison Community School 27 25 48 
			 Sneyd Community School 30 35 41 
			 Shelfield Sports and Community College 39 33 40 
			 
			 Manchester Academy, Manchester — — 8 
			 Trinity CofE High School 45 70 61 
			 Whalley Range 11 to 18 High School and Business and Enterprise College 52 46 58 
			 St. Peter's RC High School 20 34 37 
			 
			 Academies opened in 2004:
			 The Business Academy, Bexley — — — 
			 Abbey Wood School 12 25 20 
			 Woolwich Polytechnic School for Boys 27 36 35 
			 Trinity School, Belvedere 43 39 47 
			 
			 Mossbourne Community Academy, Hackney — — — 
			 Clapton Girls' Technology College 34 49 49 
			 Homerton College of Technology 22 36 32 
			 Hackney Free and Parochial Church of England Secondary School Specialist Sports College 18 22 34 
			 
			 Stockley Academy, Hillingdon — — — 
			 Bishopshalt School 52 55 56 
			 Mellow Lane School 42 42 32 
			 Uxbridge High School 34 29 35 
			 
			 London Academy, Barnet — — — 
			 Canons High School 48 49 53 
			 Park High School 74 65 70 
			 Mill Hill County High School 84 79 84 
			 
			 Northampton Academy, Northamptonshire — — — 
			 Weston Favell Upper School 38 34 28 
			 Thomas Becket Catholic School 53 42 39 
			 Northampton School for Girls 67 73 68 
			 
			 Lambeth Academy, Lambeth — — — 
			 La Retraite Roman Catholic Girls' School 61 71 61 
			 Chestnut Grove School 32 40 47 
			 Battersea Technology College 14 14 23 
			 
			 Academies opened in 2005:
			 The Academy of St. Francis of Assisi, Liverpool — — — 
			 Breckfield Community Comprehensive School 23 28 35 
			 Archbishop Blanch Church of England Voluntary Aided High School A Technology College 63 77 71 
			 Campion Catholic High School 15 25 23 
			 
			 St. Pauls Academy, Greenwich — — — 
			 Welling School 42 32 36 
			 Plumstead Manor School 27 37 43 
			 Abbey Wood School 12 25 20 
			 
			 The Marlowe Academy, Kent — — — 
			 Ellington School for Girls 33 32 27 
			 St. George's Church of England Foundation 33 42 47 
			 The Charles Dickens School 55 41 35 
			 
			 Macmillan College, Middlesbrough — — — 
			 Hall Garth School 31 40 33 
			 King's Manor School, Specialist Sports College 25 31 37 
			 The Norton School 26 26 24 
			 
			 Dixons City Academy, Bradford — — — 
			 Grange Technology College 33 29 46 
			 Bradford Cathedral Community College 16 22 26 
			 Carlton Boiling College 18 17 19 
			 
			 Trinity Academy, Doncaster — — — 
			 Hatfield High School Visual Arts College 26 24 31 
			 North Axholme School 45 38 40 
			 The Snaith School 62 57 62 
			 
			 Haberdashers' Aske's Knights Academy, Lewisham — — — 
			 Bonus Pastor Roman Catholic School 49 55 59 
			 Catford Girls' School 36 38 42 
			 Sedgehill School 30 32 37 
			 
			 Salford City Academy, Salford — — — 
			 St. Patrick's RC High School and Arts College 53 49 42 
			 Flixton Girls' High School 40 44 52 
			 Wentworth High School 21 27 31 
			 
			 Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham College, Lewisham — — — 
			 The St. Thomas the Apostle College 53 53 56 
			 Addey and Stanhope School 32 36 59 
			 Waverley School 26 26 30 
			 The Harefield Academy, Hillingdon — — — 
			 Saint Joan of Arc Roman Catholic School 75 72 75 
			 Haydon School 56 68 80 
			 Rickmansworth School 76 83 82 
		
	
	(30) Pupils aged 15 at the beginning of the academic year (i.e. 31 August).
	(31) Figures for 2002 and 2003 include GCSEs and GNVQs only. Figures for 2004 include GCSEs and other approved qualifications.
	(32) Some Academies were previously a City Technology College. Figures are included in the table only when an institution is under Academy status.
	(33) Two Academies only had GCSE results for pupils aged 15 in 2003.
	(34) The three nearest non-selective maintained schools are listed in order of their proximity to each Academy.

Learning and Skills Council

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the budget for the branding and advertising programme for the Learning and Skills Council Local Partnership teams will be.

Bill Rammell: Local Partnership teams will work within the LSC's national and regional branding, marketing and communications strategy. As this is an operational matter Mark Haysom, the LSC's chief executive has written to the hon. Member with further information. A copy of his reply has been placed in the Library.
	Letter from Mark Haysom to Mr. Stephen O'Brien, dated 17 November 2005
	I write in response to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills in which you asked what the budget for the branding and advertising programme for the Learning and Skills Council Local Partnership teams will be. I trust the following will answer your question.
	The Learning and Skills Council's (LSC) re-organisation is designed to make the organisation smaller, more dynamic, and to improve significantly what it achieves on the ground. This should help ensure consistent standards nationwide in terms of quality and relevance of provision for local communities.
	One of the LSC's marketing and communication aims is to simplify and align branding, marketing and communications activity through our partners so making it easier for young people, adults and employers to understand the benefits of learning and access relevant opportunities to progress in life, in work and in business—the local partnership teams are an important link to make this happen but not to specifically procure marketing services.
	The 148 local partnership teams the LSC will employ will be responsible for developing strategic relationships with colleges, schools and training providers. From a branding and advertising perspective (defined as a marketing, communications and branding strategy in the LSC), it will be important that these locally based teams work within the agreed national and regional marketing, communications and branding strategy, not to specifically deliver additional services relating to marketing and communications themselves. There will not be a specific allocation (from the LSC's marketing and communications budget) deployed to the local partnership teams.

Level 2 Skills

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the cost benefit to the economy of training to level 2 those adults who lack skills at level 2.

Phil Hope: A range of independent academic research has shown that there is a link between skills and economic performance and that the UK's relatively poor skills profile contributes to our productivity gap with other countries. Research has also identified a range of benefits from raising qualification levels for the individual, the employer, the economy and society.
	Those adults not qualified to at least level 2 are at a greater disadvantage in the labour market in terms of both their earnings and their employment chances. Individuals' attitudes towards learning and participation in learning improve once they reach level 2.
	The key evidence supporting the focus on raising adults to at least a level 2 is set out in the Government's recent Skills White Papers; Skills: getting on in business, getting on at work" and 21st Century Skills, Realising Our Potential" and the Skills Strategy Progress Report; Skills Strategy—Technical Supplement on Underlying data and Evidence", copies of which will be placed in the House Libraries.

New Deal for Young People

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the impact on training providers of the removal of the training and subsidised job options from the new deal for young people; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: I have been asked to reply.
	No options have been removed from the new deal for young people. The full time education and training option which offers people an opportunity to improve their education and skills, and the employment option which offers subsidies to employers who take on new deal participants are still available.
	Our aim is to ensure that all new deal participants have access to the full range of programme options. We will continue to ensure that support through the new deal will be available to those customers who need the most help and support, regardless of where they live and we have adjusted some regional budget allocations this year to ensure that we deliver our overall priorities.

Regional Skills Bureaucracy

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps she will take to ensure overlap does not occur in their work in relation to skills of the regional development agencies, the sector skills councils, the regional skills partnerships and the proposed Learning and Skills Council regional centres.

Phil Hope: The Skills White Paper, 21st Century Skills: Realising Our Potential", invited Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) to lead the establishment of Regional Skills Partnerships (RSPs). These bring together the RDA, the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) with other regional partners to plan and co-ordinate the provision of skills and business support that reflects the priorities of the Regional Economic Strategy. Each partner has their own distinctive role. RDAs are responsible for economic development and are the keepers of the Regional Economic Strategy of which skills are a part. Sector Skills Councils provide information on the skills needs of employers, and the Learning and Skills Council uses that information to inform decisions on the supply of training provision. The LSC's recent announcement to strengthen their regional centres will enable them co-ordinate work more effectively with RDAs, Sector Skills Councils and Regional Skills Partnerships.

School Work (Marking)

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what advice is offered by her Department to schools on best practice in the marking of pupils' work.

Jacqui Smith: It is for schools to formulate their own policy on the marking of pupils' work. The Department, through the National Strategies' Assessment for Learning programme, helps teachers to understand how best to identify pupils' individual learning needs and to determine next steps in their learning. This includes some guidance on the use of written feedback and best practice in the marking of pupils' work.

Sexual Health

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether she plans to publish the findings of the pilot study in Sheffield for the Working Together to Safeguard Children protocols on sexual health.

Beverley Hughes: If Sheffield Area Child Protection Committee is conducting a pilot study into its protocol on Working with Sexually Active Young People under the Age of 18, it is a matter for the committee whether it publishes the findings of any such study.

Union Learning Fund

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what percentage of the courses funded through the Union Learning Fund are (a) basic skills courses, (b) level 1 and level 2 courses and (c) level 3 and above courses;
	(2)  what percentage of the courses funded through the Union Learning Fund take under nine hours.

Phil Hope: The Union Learning Fund is a source of funding to help trade unions boost their capacity as learning organisations and use their influence with employers, employees and learning providers to encourage greater take-up of learning in the workplace. It is not used to provide funding for courses. It enables trade unions and their union learning representatives to provide advice, guidance and support to workers to help them access existing learning opportunities to improve their skill levels.
	Earlier evaluations of the Union Learning Fund (copies of which are in the House of Commons Library) indicate that trade unions have been successful in engaging non-traditional learners including older males, people from minority ethnic groups and shift workers. An estimated 80 per cent. of those helped to access a learning opportunity had qualifications below NVQ level 2 or equivalent.
	A further evaluation of the Union Learning Fund is currently under way to assess the impact of the fund on trade unions, employers and individual learners. It will include a large scale survey of learners which will provide information on the different types and levels of courses that individuals have accessed as a result of support from the Union Learning Fund. The final report is due to be published next summer and a copy will be placed in the House Libraries.

Youth Work Projects

Shahid Malik: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will establish a cross-Government working group (a) to review, in partnership with the National Youth Agency and others, existing local youth work projects which promote community cohesion and (b) to consider the merits of developing an action plan on responsibilities.

Maria Eagle: There is already a cross-Government strategy—Improving Opportunity, Strengthening Society—which brings together measures across Government to increase race equality and promote community cohesion. Work with young people is an integral part of the strategy.
	Youth work can play an important part in promoting community cohesion. My officials are already working closely with the National Youth Agency on ideas for building the capacity of the youth work sector in relation to community cohesion.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Carbon Management Programme

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department will sign up to the Carbon Trust's Carbon Management programme.

James Plaskitt: The Department for Work and Pensions works in collaboration with its PFI Estates Partners, Land Securities Trillium, to install energy efficiency measures across the estate. Examples of projects undertaken are the installation of energy saving devices for white goods and vending machines, improved pipe work insulation and Passive Infrared Detectors for hot-water points. Energy efficiency is also integral to the replacement of equipment at the end of its life cycle, and we are examining the potential for early replacement for obviously inefficient equipment. Improved meter reading systems are also being implemented to provide up to date information to facilitate better energy management. In addition, 60 per cent. of our electricity is now generated from either renewable or Combined Heat and Power sources. Together, these initiatives have reduced the estate's carbon emissions by 30 per cent. over the past seven years.
	Initial contact has been made with the Carbon Trust about our joining the Carbon Management programme and a meeting to discuss this is being set up.

Child Support Agency

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the refund due under Child Support Agency reference number 0677911890 will be paid.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Stephen Geraghty to Mr. Andrew Turner, dated 17 November 2005
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions; when the refund due under Child Support Agency reference number 0677911890 will be paid.
	I am sorry to hear that Mr. Goldstone has not received the refund of £340 promised to him on 7 June. Regrettably a technical fault on the Agency's CS2. computer system has prevented the payment from being made. This fault is not yet resolved, but the Plymouth centre has arranged for Mr. Goldstone's refund to be paid on 16 November.
	I hope you find this helpful.

Departmental Press Officers

Malcolm Rifkind: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many press officers are employed in his Department; and what the cost of employing them was in the last year for which figures are available.

Anne McGuire: As at 31 March 2005 19 national press officers and 23 regional press officers were employed at a total cost of £1,533,703.
	The costs are based on average salaries for the year and take into account the actual number of press officers and changes in post each month.

Departmental Press Officers

Malcolm Rifkind: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many new press officers his Department is planning to employ over the next 12 months; and at what cost.

Anne McGuire: The Department has no plans to recruit additional press officers in the next 12 months. There is a recruitment exercise currently under way to fill existing vacancies. Further recruitment exercises may be required in the next year to maintain the agreed level of staffing.

Incapacity Benefit

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are claiming incapacity benefit in Milton Keynes.

Anne McGuire: As at May 2005, there were 7,500 people claiming incapacity benefit or severe disability allowance in Milton Keynes.

Incapacity Benefit

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the quarterly average exit rate for (a) incapacity benefit and (b) severe disability allowance has been since May 1997.

Anne McGuire: holding answer 10 November 2005
	For incapacity benefit, the quarterly average exit rate since May 1997 has been 7.9 per cent. of the total caseload. For severe disablement allowance, the quarterly average exit rate since May 1997 has been 1.7 per cent. of the total caseload.
	Source:
	DWP Information Directorate, Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100 percent. data.

Incapacity Benefit

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many people in West Lancashire constituency are in receipt of incapacity benefit;
	(2)  how many people in West Lancashire constituency are in receipt of (a) state retirement pension, (b) jobseeker's allowance and (c) incapacity benefit.

Anne McGuire: At May 2005 1 in the West Lancashire parliamentary constituency, there were 18,200 state retirement pension recipients and 1,496 jobseeker's allowance claimants 2 .
	There were 5,100 incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance claimants as at May 2005. Of these, 4,100 were incapacity benefit claimants only 3 .
	1 Source: DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100 per cent. data as at May 2005
	2 Source: Count of unemployment-related benefits, Jobcentre Plus computer systems (including clerically held cases). Figures are unrounded. NOMIS figures include clerically held cases. Based on 100 per cent. claimant count.
	3 Source: Information Directorate 100 per cent. WPLS. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.

Incapacity Benefit

Malcolm Rifkind: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the percentage of incapacity benefit claimants have been receiving the benefit for more than five years; and what this percentage was in May 1997.

Anne McGuire: As the benefit was only introduced in April 1995, we are unable to give the information requested for the five years previous to 2000. As at February 2005, 48.1 per cent. of claimants had been claiming for more than five years.

Incapacity Benefit

David Mundell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what percentage of people receive incapacity benefit in Scotland.

Anne McGuire: As at September 2005, there were 323,500 people claiming incapacity benefit or severe disability allowance in Scotland. This represents 10.2 per cent. of the working-age population.

Parliamentary Question

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he will answer the question tabled on 7 October by the hon. Member for Chipping Barnet, ref. 16546.

Anne McGuire: A reply was given to the hon. Member on 11 November 2005, Official Report, column 791W.

Jobcentre Plus

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what percentage of days were lost through sickness absence in Jobcentre Plus in each of the last two years, broken down by (a) region and (b) country;
	(2)  what the rate of (a) early retirement and (b) resignation on grounds of stress and ill health has been in Jobcentre Plus in each of the last two years, broken down by (i) region and (ii) country;
	(3)  what the rate of staff turnover was in 2004–05 in Jobcentre Plus, broken down by (a) region and (b) country;
	(4)  what training needs have been identified for staff in Jobcentre Plus in relation to the proposed changes to disability benefits; and what discussions on training have taken place with staff.

Margaret Hodge: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. She will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Lesley Strathie to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 17 November 2005
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions regarding sickness absence; early retirement and resignation on the grounds of stress and ill health; staff turnover; identification of staff training needs in relation to the proposed changes to disability benefits, and details of discussions that have taken place with Jobcentre Plus staff on such training. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	Information on the percentage of days lost through sickness absence in Jobcentre Plus in each of the last two years, broken down by (a) region and (b) country in each of the last two years, is in the table.
	
		
			 Region/country Absence rate 2003–04 Absence rate 2004–05 
		
		
			 East of England 5.2 4.8 
			 East Midlands 5.0 4.9 
			 London 6.4 6.0 
			 North East 5.0 5.0 
			 North West 5.0 5.1 
			 South East 4.8 5.0 
			 South West 4.5 4.1 
			 West Midlands 4.8 4.9 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 4.8 4.5 
			 Scotland 5.0 4.6 
			 Wales 4.5 4.5 
			 Other 5.0 5.4 
			 Total 5.1 5.0 
		
	
	1. Data listed under 'other' consists of absence records for staff for whom a region/country identifier has yet to be confirmed.
	2. Data is for operational years April to March in each year.
	Source:
	Jobcentre Plus
	Information is not available on whether people have taken early retirement or have resigned from Jobcentre Plus because of stress. Information on the ratio of people Part of the Department for Work and Pensions who have retired for reasons of ill health generally, and the ratio of general resignations, broken down by region and country in each of the last two years, is in the table.
	
		
			 Percentage 
			  12 months to March 2004 12 months to March 2005 
			 Reasons for leaving Retirement on grounds of ill health Resignation Retirement on grounds of ill health Resignation 
		
		
			 East Midlands 0.04 4.1 0.1 5.2 
			 East of England 0.1 3.8 0.2 5.4 
			 London 0.1 3.2 0.2 3.4 
			 North East 0.1 2.7 0.1 3.2 
			 North West 0.1 3.2 0.1 4.7 
			 Scotland 0.0 2.9 0.1 3.5 
			 South East 0.1 4.2 0.1 5.7 
			 South West 0.1 4.7 0.1 5.5 
			 Wales 0.1 3.2 0.1 4.9 
			 West Midlands 0.1 4.1 0.1 5.0 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 0.1 3.1 0.1 4.8 
			 Total 0.1 3.5 0.1 4.6 
		
	
	Source:
	Jobcentre Plus
	Information on the rate of staff turnover in Jobcentre Plus in 2004–05, broken down by region and country is in the table.
	
		Jobcentre Plus turnover by region/country for 12 months ending March 2005
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 East Midlands 7.39 
			 East of England 7.79 
			 London 5.98 
			 North East 5.34 
			 North West 6.45 
			 Scotland 5.63 
			 South East 8.25 
			 South West 7.81 
			 Wales 6.52 
			 West Midlands 6.93 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 6.38 
			 Total 6.65 
		
	
	Source:
	Jobcentre Plus
	It is too soon to provide information on the training needs for Jobcentre Plus staff in relation to any proposed changes to incapacity benefits. When the full nature of any changes to these benefits has been finalised, we will consult staff to identify training requirements and develop learning modules accordingly.
	I hope this is helpful.

Jobcentre Plus

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many incidents of violence against staff working in Jobcentre Plus have been reported in each of the last two years, broken down by (a) region and (b) country; and what the ratio of incidents to whole time equivalent employees was in each year, in each case.

Margaret Hodge: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. She will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Lesley Strathie to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 17 November 2005
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question regarding the number of incidents of violence against staff working in Jobcentre Plus that have been reported in each of the last two years, broken down by region and country, and what the ratio of incidents to whole time equivalent (WTE) employees was in each year, in each case. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	The available information is in the table.
	
		
			  2003 2004 
			 Region Number of assaults WTE ratio Number of assaults WTE ratio 
		
		
			 Scotland 19 .0024 22 .0031 
			 Wales 2 .0004 13 .0031 
			 North East 4 .0008 13 .0030 
			 North West 36 .0035 38 .0041 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 26 .0038 23 .0036 
			 East Midlands 18 .0041 28 .0069 
			 West Midlands 29 .0040 26 .0043 
			 South East 11 .0018 29 .0050 
			 South West 18 .0038 18 .0042 
			 East of England 18 .0038 25 .0057 
			 London 54 .0049 94 .0093 
			 Total—English regions 214 .0036 294 .0054 
			 Jobcentre Plus totals 235 .0033 329 .0050 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The ratio of assaults is calculated by dividing the number of assaults by the number of whole time equivalent staff.
	2. Data is compiled from reports completed by staff on physical assaults only.
	3. Data is provided for calendar years rather than operational years.
	Source:
	Department for Work and Pensions Workforce Management Project
	It may be helpful if I explain the background to these figures. Although data indicates that there has been a rise in the number of incidents reported in the last two years it is not possible to identify any direct casual relationships. This period coincides with a number of initiatives within the Department that have encouraged staff to report all incidents so that lessons can be learned, and appropriate remedial action taken.
	Customer facing activity in Jobcentre Plus has been thoroughly risk assessed to ensure comprehensive measures are in place to protect the health and safety of our staff whilst at work. These measures range from ensuring the delivery of user-friendly services to our customers and ensuring all staff have the appropriate skills to manage and diffuse difficult situations, through to more physical controls such as the provision of individual panic alarms for staff, the use of CCTV cameras and deployment of security guards.
	I hope this is helpful.

Jobcentre Plus

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many of the recent reductions in staffing at job centres arose from (a) resignation of personnel who have not been replaced, (b) voluntary redundancy and (c) compulsory redundancy.

Margaret Hodge: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. She will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Lesley Strathie to Mr. Tim Boswell, dated 17 November 2005
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning how many of the recent reductions in staffing at jobcentres arose from (a) resignation of personnel who have not been replaced, (b) voluntary redundancy, and (c) compulsory redundancy. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	We do not keep information of this type separately for jobcentres therefore the answers that I have provided refer to the whole of the Jobcentre Plus organisation. Between 1 March 2004 and 30 September 2005, Jobcentre Plus has seen an overall net reduction in our full-time equivalent staffing totalling 8,066. This figure is a combination of the effects of staff leaving and staff joining the organisation. The number of managed early releases during the same period is 707 full-time equivalent staff. There have been no compulsory redundancies.
	I hope this is helpful.

Low-income Families

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the changes his Department have introduced to help low income families since 1997.

Margaret Hodge: The Government's strategy for tackling poverty is set out in Opportunity for All (published by DWP annually) and the Child Poverty Review (July 2004). This Department makes important contributions to the strategy in relation to providing work for those who can and support for those who cannot.
	Since 1997 we have delivered macroeconomic stability, invested in active labour market policies, developed tax and benefit reforms to ensure work pays, and invested in skills. This has helped deliver a more flexible labour market in which as many people as possible have the opportunity to move in to work. We believe that, for most people, work is the best route out of poverty.
	The number of people in employment is higher than ever before and the number of people on working age benefits is declining. This is due to our management of the economy and our successful and cost effective labour market policies delivered through Jobcentre Plus and the new deal.
	We have invested, in conjunction with Department for Education and Skills, over £17 billion on early years and child care provision.
	Together with HM Revenues and Customs, who administer tax credits and child benefit, we have significantly increased financial support for children. As a result of the Government's reforms of the tax and benefit system since 1997, by October 2005, in real terms families with children will be on average £1,400 a year better off, while those in the poorest fifth will be on average £3,200 per year better off.
	The Child Support Reforms in March 2003 introduced the Child Maintenance Premium (CMP). This is where parents with care receiving income support or income based jobseeker's allowance can keep up to £10 a week of the maintenance paid for their children, without it affecting their benefit.
	The investment in financial support for families combined with continued progress against employment targets, means that the Government are broadly on track to meet the PSA target to reduce child poverty by a quarter by 2004–5.

New Deal for Young People

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what further education and training has been available through the new deal for young people in each region in each year since 1998; and what education and training is planned to be available through the programme in each region until 2008.

Margaret Hodge: Information on the education and training opportunities that have been available in each region, in each year, through new deal for young people (NDYP) since 1998 is not available in a suitable form.
	We deliver education and training opportunities through the NDYP Full Time Education and Training (FTET) option. The courses are tailored to the needs of the individual and local employers. Since 1998, 185,660 people have participated in this option.
	We are currently working with the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) to deliver the Government's Skills Strategy. Trials will be starting next year to test arrangements to enable people on the NDYP FTET and Environmental Task Force (ETF) options, as well as those on Work Based Learning for Adults, to access suitable LSC provision to help them get a job.
	There will also be other options available for the same customer group. Trials will be taking place in September 2006 of a new adult learning allowance, equivalent to benefit plus a premium of 10. This will be for people for whom a lack of skills is the main barrier to employment, and will give them the opportunity to gain an s/NVQ qualification.
	People aged 18–24 are also eligible for LSC Modern Apprenticeship training where the young person is employed, paid a wage and given the training needed to gain a qualification.

New Deal for Young People

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of those on the new deal for young people have a criminal record.

Margaret Hodge: Information on whether or not participants on new deal for young people have a criminal record is not collected.
	Some disadvantaged groups can have early entry to the new deal, and this includes those who have served a custodial sentence. This information is sometimes recorded as a reason for early programme entry, but only when the individual agrees to the disclosure, and where an alternative criteria is not deemed more appropriate.

New Deal for Young People

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the (a) training and (b) subsidised job options will remain as options in the new deal for young people in (i) London and (ii) the North East.

Margaret Hodge: No options have been removed from the new deal for young people. The full time education and training option which offers people an opportunity to improve their education and skills, and the employment option which offers subsidies to employers who take on new deal participants are still available.
	Our aim is to ensure that all new deal participants have access to the full range of programme options. We will continue to ensure that support through the new deal will be available to those customers who need the most help and support, regardless of where they live and we have adjusted some regional budget allocations this year to ensure that we deliver our overall priorities.

NI Telephone Queries

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people called the 0845 8500284 number in respect of national insurance queries; how many times the line was engaged; and how many complaints have been received because the line was engaged in each of the last 10 months.

Margaret Hodge: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. She will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Lesley Strathie to Mr. Norman Lamb, dated 17 November 2005
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions concerning how many people called the 0845 8500284 number in respect of national insurance queries; how many times the line was engaged; and how many complaints have been received, because the line was engaged in each of the last 10 months. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	The telephone number referred to relates to the East of England National Insurance Contact Centre, which was set up in May this year and became fully operational in August 2005. The information provided in the table below covers the 6 month period from the setting up of the Contact Centre. Information is not available on how many times the line was engaged but we do have information about the number of calls received and complaints made during this period.
	
		
			 Month Calls from applicants Complaints 
		
		
			 May 358 (35)— 
			 June 2,255 (35)— 
			 July 3,390 (35)— 
			 August 5,451 3 
			 September 6,522 12 
			 October 5,056 11 
		
	
	(35) None recorded
	You will see from the table that the number of calls received by the Contact Centre has increased significantly over the 6 month period. This has contributed to the difficulty which some customers have experienced in contacting the service. We are putting in place, over the next 6 months, advanced telephony systems which will help us to improve call handling and provide better customer service.
	I hope this is helpful.

Pensioners (Benefits)

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many pensioners in (a) Crewe and Nantwich borough and (b) England are (i) receiving pension credit and (ii) eligible for but not claiming pension credit;
	(2)  how many of those receiving pension credit in (a) Crewe and Nantwich borough and (b) England are also receiving council tax benefit.

Stephen Timms: Information on numbers of households and individuals in receipt of pension credit at 30 June 2005 is contained in the most recent quarterly pension credit progress report published on 20 October. A copy of the report is in the Library.
	As at May 2005 there were (a) 3,300 pensioner households in Crewe and Nantwich and (b) 1,634,6000 pensioner households in England receiving both pension credit and council tax benefit.
	It is becoming clear that the number of people who are eligible for pension credit is somewhat less than the initial estimate. National Statistics showing the number of pensioners entitled to pension credit at a national level in the first six months after its introduction and the subsequent take-up rate are expected to be available in December. Information at constituency level will not be possible. The precise date of release of these statistics and the publication plans for the following set, covering 2004–05, will be pre-announced in National Statistics Updates"; the diary of statistical releases.

Pensioners (Benefits)

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Gravesham constituency are (a) entitled to and (b) in receipt of pension credit.

Stephen Timms: Information on numbers of households and individuals in receipt of pension credit at 30 June 2005 is contained in the most recent quarterly pension credit progress report published on 20 October. A copy of the report is in the Library. The number of people in receipt of pension credit in the Gravesham constituency as at June 2005 is 4,800 individuals (3,900 households).
	It is becoming clear that the number of people who are eligible for pension credit is somewhat less than the initial estimate. National statistics showing the number of pensioners entitled to pension credit at a national level in the first six months after its introduction and the subsequent take-up rate are expected to be available in December. Information at constituency level will not be possible. The precise date of release of these statistics and the publication plans for the following set, covering 2004–05, will be pre-announced in National Statistics Updates"; the diary of statistical releases.

Pensioners (Benefits)

Malcolm Rifkind: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many pensioners received means-tested benefits (a) in the latest period for which figures are available and (b) in the equivalent period in 1997, broken down by sex;
	(2)  what his latest estimate is of the number of (a) women and (b) men who rely on means-tested benefits in retirement; and what this figure was in 1997.

Stephen Timms: The available information is provided in the Table.
	
		Pensioners on income-related benefits by gender: Great Britain, May 1997 and May 2004
		
			  May 1997 May 2004 
		
		
			 All 3,160,000 2,690,000 
			 Male n/a 970,000 
			 Female n/a 1,700,000 
			 Unknown n/a 20,000 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. n/a = not available. This Information was only collected from May 2004 onwards.
	2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 thousand and are subject to a degree of sampling variation.
	3. Figures refer to cases where a claimant and/or partner is aged 60 and over. Therefore will contain some claimants aged under 60 where there is a partner aged over 60 years.
	4. Income-related benefits are housing benefit/council tax benefit/income support (in 1997)/pension credit (guarantee credit) (in 2004)/income-based jobseeker's allowance recipients with all overlaps removed. Savings credit only claimants of pension credit have not been included in the 2004 figures.
	Source:
	Information Directorate, 5 per cent. samples
	100 per cent. Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study
	Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System, Annual 1 per cent. sample, taken in May 2004

Pensions

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps the Government are taking to reduce the inequality in pensions between men and women at the point of retirement.

Stephen Timms: Pension credit has helped to reduce the number of pensioners living in absolute low income, with 1.3 million female pensioners lifted above absolute low income since 1997. Two-thirds of the 3.3 million people benefiting from pension credit are women. Future women pensioners will also benefit from the introduction of state second pension, with 6 million more women building up additional state pension than did under SERPS.
	The introduction of Home Responsibilities Protection in 1978, together with women's increased labour market activity, mean that women are building up better pension records. In 2005, 30 per cent. of women reaching state pension age are entitled to a full basic state pension. Without any policy changes, this will rise to 50 per cent. by 2010 and over 80 per cent. by 2025. By 2025, women and men will have similar basic state pension entitlements. The average entitlement will be over 90 per cent. of a full basic state pension for both men and women.
	Women's increased labour market activity also means that more women are generating their own income, which can be invested in a private pension. Future women pensioners will retire with higher state and private pension incomes in their own right. However, the main driver in the difference between women's and men's retirement incomes is the difference in women's and men's private pension provision.
	The report Women and pensions: The evidence", published by the Department on 2 November 2005, examines the evolution of women's pensions and explores the reasons for the differences between men's and women's pension entitlements. The issue of women's pensions is central to the National Pensions Debate and the report provides a firm basis on which to build consensus on the way forward to achieve fair outcomes for women. The report also raises further questions for consideration alongside the work of the Pensions Commission.

Poverty

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) children and (b) pensioners were living in poverty in the Vale of Clwyd in each of the last 20 years.

Margaret Hodge: Specific information regarding low income for Great Britain is available in Households Below Average Income 1994–95 to 2003–04", available in the Library. The threshold of below 60 per cent. contemporary median income is the most commonly used in reporting trends in low income.
	The data source does not allow us to provide robust estimates for Vale of Clwyd. Estimates for Wales have been provided using data from 1994–95 to 2003–04.
	The number and proportion of children in households with low incomes in Wales over the period 1994–95 to 2003–04, are presented in the following table. Data on a regional level is not available prior to 1994–95.
	
		
			  Three-year rolling averages 
			  1994–95 to 1996–97 1995–96 to 1997–98 1996–97 to 1998–99 1997–98 to 1999–2000 1998–99 to 2000–01 1999–2000 to 2001–02 2000–01 to 2002–03 2001–02 to 2003–04 
		
		
			 Before housing costs   
			 Number of children (million) 0.18 0.19 0.18 0.18 0.18 0.17 0.16 0.15 
			 Percentage of all children 28 28 28 28 27 25 25 23 
			
			 After housing costs   
			 Number of children (million) 0.23 0.23 0.23 0.23 0.23 0.21 0.20 0.19 
			 Percentage of all children 35 36 34 35 34 33 32 29 
		
	
	Source:
	Family Resources Survey
	The number and proportion of pensioners in households with low incomes in Wales over the period 1994–95 to 2003–04, are presented in the following table:
	
		
			  Three-year rolling averages 
			  1994–95 to 1996–97 1995–96 to 1997–98 1996–97 to 1998–99 1997–98 to 1999–2000 1998–99 to 2000–01 1999–2000 to 2001–02 2000–01 to 2002–03 2001- 02 to 2003–04 
		
		
			 Before housing costs   
			 Number of pensioners (million) 0.14 0.13 0.13 0.14 0.14 0.13 0.12 0.13 
			 Percentage of all pensioners 24 24 24 25 24 23 22 23 
			  
			 After housing costs   
			 Number of pensioners (million) 0.14 0.14 0.14 0.14 0.13 0.13 0.12 0.12 
			 Percentage of all pensioners 24 25 25 25 24 23 21 21 
		
	
	Note:
	1. Figures are provided using a three-year rolled average, as single-year estimates do not provide a robust guide to year on year changes. Hence, figures are not consistent with previously published single-year estimates and there may be differences in changes over time. In circumstances such as a change in trend, rolled-averages will show less variation than single year estimates.
	Source:
	Family Resources Survey
	2. Tables show the number of children/pensioners in millions rounded to the nearest 10 thousand, and percentages to the nearest percentage point.
	3. In this answer low income is determined for individuals as living in households with incomes below 60 per cent. of the GB median.

Regeneration (Burslem)

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the Department's contribution to economic regeneration in Burslem.

Margaret Hodge: Since 1997, in the Stoke-on-Trent, North constituency, the number of people claiming jobseeker's allowance has fallen by 24 per cent. and long term unemployment by 78 per cent. The New Deal has helped 2,010 people in to work, including 810 in Burslem.
	Jobcentre Plus is an active member of the North Staffordshire Regeneration Zone working groups. The Regeneration Zone arrangement in Staffordshire is one of the delivery mechanisms funded by the regional development agency (RDA), Advantage West Midlands (AWM), through its Regional Economic Strategy. We have contributed to the Zone Implementation Plan (ZIP) on areas such as tackling worklessness, upskilling and work force development.
	A range of projects, instigated by the Regeneration Zone and actively supported by Jobcentre Plus, have been designed to have a positive impact on the economic regeneration of the Burslem area:
	Construction College, Burslem: This is due to open soon as a centre of excellence for construction skills. Jobcentre Plus will look to utilise the facilities to train unemployed adults in construction skills to enable them to take advantage of the new jobs arising out of the Housing Market Renewal funding, much of which is in the Burslem area;
	CATU project: This is part funded by the Regeneration Zone and supported by Jobcentre Plus. This project is in place to help redundant workers, mainly from the pottery industry, back to work. The project management work closely with Jobcentre Plus to ensure redundant workers receive full support;
	Early Entry to Work Based Learning: This is designed to help recently redundant workers to start up in business, supported by Jobcentre Plus and is available to residents in the Burslem area;
	Enterprise Centre phase 2 in Burslem: This is a project funded by the Regeneration Zone and supported by Jobcentre Plus to encourage Small and Medium Employer (SME) development in Burslem.
	LAA (Local Area Agreements): Jobcentre Plus is currently working closely with the Regeneration Zone on submitting Growth Initiative proposals around projects to help disadvantaged groups across the city of Stoke on Trent, including Burslem. This will include ideas similar to and based on the Working Neighbourhoods Project operated by Jobcentre Plus.
	Neighbourhood Renewal: Jobcentre Plus has also contributed to and worked closely with a number of initiatives across Stoke on Trent that are also active in Burslem and funded by Neighbourhood Renewal monies etc. These include:
	LEAP (Learning and Employment Action Plan) project: This is an initiative to support and train workless groups across the city of Stoke on Trent, concentrating in deprived wards such as Burslem, using mentors etc. to help individuals who have been out of work for many years back into the labour market. Jobcentre Plus worked on the design and is giving ongoing support to the project;
	STACE (Skills, Training and Community Employment): Jobcentre Plus helped to design and develop this project that looks to help the hardest to help groups, such as clients claiming incapacity benefit, back into work. This project is a project across the city of Stoke on Trent;
	Housing Market Renewal in Burslem: Jobcentre Plus is an active member of various construction skills steering groups that have a particular focus on the disadvantaged and are looking to upskill the local work force. This then enables them to take advantage of the growth in construction employment that will arise from Housing Market Renewal. As Burslem is seen as a Heritage Area, the majority of the Regeneration Zone activity relates to capital projects which will improve the area and thus encourage more inward investment that will bring employment to the area.
	Connexions: There is currently an adviser based within Burslem Jobcentre at least one day each week offering help to customers with interview skills and the construction of CVs. Additionally, the Environmental Task Force option is available to New Deal customers. This is primarily placement work carrying out, for example, general repairs to canals, labouring and reclamation work. The provider is called Groundwork.

Service Efficiency Targets

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on compliance by his Department with service efficiency targets with particular reference to time taken to handle claims from jobseekers.

Margaret Hodge: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. She will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Lesley Strathie to Mr. Tim Boswell, dated 17 November 2005
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning compliance with service efficiency targets with particular reference to time taken to handle claims from jobseekers. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	Jobcentre Plus sets internal performance measures for managing its workloads in addition to the published targets set by Ministers. These internal measures include clearance times for Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA).
	The appropriate Key Management Indicator requires new JSA claims to be processed within an average of 12 days.
	The current average clearance time for JSA new claims is 13.5 days with the eleven regions ranging from 10.1 days to 17.7 days. In month average clearance times have increased from 12.4 days in April to 14.7 days in September.
	Jobcentre Plus has put measures in place to address this decline in performance. This includes temporary adjustments to the claim taking process and the movement of resources to improve the rate of initial telephone contact and customer service.
	We are already seeing improvements following these measures. Contact Centres are now well on their way to meeting their target of answering 90% of calls and we are confident that this improvement will have a beneficial impact on the average clearance times quoted above.
	I hope this is helpful.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Arms Trade

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the percentage of British (a) produced and (b) brokered arms which are used to commit human rights abuses.

Ian Pearson: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has not carried out such an assessment. It would be extremely difficult and resource intensive to attempt an assessment of the origin of arms and other equipment used in the commission of human rights abuses.
	In order to minimise the risk that any export might be used for internal repression, we rigorously judge each export licence application against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. Where there was a clear risk that the proposed export might be used for internal repression or human rights abuses, the FCO would recommend to the Department of Trade and Industry (as the Licensing Authority) that the application be refused.

Burma

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the Burmese Government's decision to move the seat of government from Rangoon to Pyinmana; what response he plans to make to this decision; what discussions he has had with other Governments concerning this decision; and what steps he plans to take to support human rights in Burma.

Ian Pearson: Diplomatic missions in Rangoon were formally notified of the Burmese authorities' decision to relocate the seat of administration to Pyinmana on 7 November. The State Peace and Development Council claims that moving to a more central location will enable the Government to carry out the development of the whole nation more effectively. Although it is too early to assess the full impact of the move, we are in close touch with international partners in Rangoon over these developments.
	We are actively working with our European and international partners, as well as through the United Nations and its agencies, to press the Burmese authorities to end their appalling human rights violations and to engage in a genuine process of national reconciliation involving all political parties and ethnic groups in Burma.
	We regularly raise our concerns over human rights with the Burmese authorities, most recently when our ambassador in Rangoon met the Burmese Foreign and Labour Ministers on 31 October.

Call Centres

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many call centres were run by his Department and its agencies in (a) 2003–04, (b) 2004–05 and (c) 2005–06 to date; and how many and what proportion of calls (i) were handled by an adviser, (ii) were received but abandoned and (iii) received an engaged tone.

Jack Straw: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) does not run any call centres which deal directly with the public. The FCO routinely uses commercial call centres for information on travel advice, UK visas and passports. Outside call centres, including police facilities, are used in consular emergencies when the number of calls or likely calls exceeds FCO staff capacity in relevant departments of the office.

China

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the (a) occasions and (b) dates when he has raised the issue of human rights in (i) Tibet and (ii) China with members of the Chinese government in the last three years.

Ian Pearson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 15 November 2005, Official Report, column 1181W.

China

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his assessment of the degree of compliance by China with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: We welcome China's work towards ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). We regularly encourage China to invest more effort in bringing itself into compliance with the ICCPR. The UK will host a joint EU-China ICCPR ratification seminar in December.

Farm Subsidies

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether an agreement has been reached on farm subsidies in Bulgaria and Romania in anticipation of their accession to the European Union in 2007; and whether the subsidies will be funded from the existing budget.

Douglas Alexander: Farm subsidy arrangements are set out in the Accession treaty between member states of the European Union (EU) and Bulgaria and Romania. In essence, the same arrangements that were applied to the 2004 Accession will apply to Bulgaria and Romania. Common Agricultural Policy direct payments will be phased in over a 10-year period, starting at 25 percent. of the level applicable to the EU 15 from the date of accession. Bulgaria and Romania have the option of making limited top-ups to phased in payments, mainly at national expense, and of adopting a simplified direct payment scheme for the first few years after accession.
	The EU Commission estimate that direct payments and market measures for Bulgaria and Romania would amount to some €2.5 billion in total over the 2007–09 period (assuming that accession takes place on 1 January 2007), plus a further €3 billion for rural development. A decision on whether direct payments and market measures will be funded from within the ceilings agreed by Heads of Government in October 2002 will be taken as part of the current future financing negotiations.

Damages

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the 10 largest amounts of damages paid out by his Department in the last year for which figures are available, indicating in each case the nature of the claim.

Jack Straw: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office paid out the following amounts in damages in the last 12 months. The nature of each claim is indicated.
	
		
			 Date Nature of claim Damages (£) 
		
		
			 April 2005 Work related upper limb disorder 33,500 
			 April 2005 Personal Injury Claim 22,000 
			 December 2004 Work related upper limb disorder 4,500

Departmental Assets

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the 10 most valuable (a) movable and (b) immovable assets owned by his Department.

Jack Straw: The 10 most valuable immoveable assets are listed at table 1. All items on the list are property assets comprising land and buildings.
	The 10 most valuable moveable assets are listed at table 2.
	IT installations have not been included within these lists. At 31 March 2005 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office had IT installations and equipment held at a written down value of £39,811,925, the bulk of which is written down over five years. This includes all capitalised IT installations and is a conglomerate of development costs, software and licences, cabling and hardware. Thus the total cost is a composite of moveable and immoveable items and does not belong to either category.
	
		Table 1: top 10 immoveable assets—all property assets
		
			 Location Description of asset Value (£) 
		
		
			 London King Charles Street 50,000,000 
			 Paris 35 Rue du Faubourg St 36,692,372 
			 Moscow Smolenskaya Compound 29,255,120 
			 Paris 39 Rue du Faubourg St 27,735,404 
			 Hong Kong British Consulate 26,051,486 
			 London Old Admiralty Building 25,000,000 
			 Rome Residence 21,473,163 
			 Rome 80 Via XX Septembre 16,641,243 
			 Washington 3100 Massachusetts Ave 15,718,669 
			 Tokyo Tokyo Office 15,237,080 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Valuations produced by the Estates Department as at 31 March 2005.
	2. Property coming within the bounds of a single compound has been treated as a single asset.
	
		Table 2: top 10 moveable assets
		
			 Location Description of asset Written down value (£) Type of asset Gross value (£) 
		
		
			 Hanslope Park Generator 577,367.87 Heavy Machinery 607,755 
			 Washington Silver (set) 485,000.00 Antiques and Works of Art 485,000 
			 Istanbul 2xChandeliers 350,000.00 Antiques and Works of Art 350,000 
			 Hanslope Park Generator 292,325.56 Heavy Machinery 307,715 
			 Havana Rug 130,000.00 Antiques and Works of Art 130,000 
			 New Delhi Jaguar XJ 4.2 120,000.00 Motor Car 120,000 
			 Islamabad Jaguar XJ 4.2 120,000.00 Motor Car 120,000 
			 Cairo Jaguar XJ 4.2 120,000.00 Motor Car 120,000 
			 Iraq Minibus 111,261.55 Light Commercial Vehicle 152,589 
			 Iraq Minibus 111,261.55 Light Commercial Vehicle 152,589 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Values as at 31 March 2005.
	2. Antiques and works of art were professionally valued during the year. These assets are not depreciated.
	3. All other assets listed in table 2 are shown at the written down (depreciated) value. The gross value (purchase cost plus indexed inflation cost) is shown for comparative purpose.
	4. The high cost of the vehicles is because they are all armoured.
	5. For the purpose of this exercise moveable" has been interpreted as meaning transportable.

Departmental Salaries

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the 10 highest-paid employees in his Department, broken down by (a) job title and (b) salary including bonuses; and whether the individual concerned is (i) a civil servant and (ii) a contractor in each case.

Jack Straw: The 10 highest paid employees in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are all civil servants and members of the Senior Management Structure. It is not the practice to release personal information on individual remuneration, but current salary levels are as follows:
	
		
			 Salary range (£) Number of officers 
		
		
			 190,000 to 199,000 1 
			 180,000.to 189,999 0 
			 170,000.to 179,999 0 
			 160,000.to 169,999 1 
			 150,000.to 159,999 0 
			 140,000.to 149,999 3 
			 130,000.to 139,999 5 
		
	
	Bonus payments in addition this year for these employees have ranged from £2,000 to £20,000.

Departmental Staff

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff in his Department were (a) civil servants, (b) contractors and (c) other staff in each year since 1997.

Jack Straw: Figures for Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) staff numbers are notified to the Cabinet Office according to a central counting convention. The figure for full time equivalent staff is not yet available for 2005. The numbers of UK based employees (i.e. excluding contract staff employed locally at posts) for each of the previous five years, at 1 April and including the FCO's Agency, Wilton Park, were as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2004 5,970 
			 2003 5,950 
			 2002 5,680 
			 2001 5,500 
			 2000 5,460 
		
	
	The numbers for contract and other staff are devolved and central records of the exact numbers employed are not held centrally. We estimate the total of contract and other staff to be about 700. A significant part of the increase is growth in staff working in visas/consular/security.

EU Presidency

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress he has made in achieving his aims for the United Kingdom's presidency of the European Union.

Douglas Alexander: As my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary recalled to the House on 1 November 2005, Official Report, column 720W, the Work Programme for the UK presidency was set out in detail in a White Paper Cmnd 6611, which was presented to the House on 30 June 2005, Official Report, columns 1450–52W.
	On 1 November the Foreign Secretary also set out progress made in a number of areas so far—better regulation, the post-financial services action plan, development in Africa, sugar reform and the historic decision to open accession negotiations with Turkey and Croatia (Official Report, column 721W). Other areas of progress include Counter-terrorism, where we have secured renewed commitment of member states and European Union (EU) institutions to prioritise collective EU action on counter-terrorism, in the wake of the London bombings, by stepping up implementation of the EU's Counter Terrorism Action Plan and co-operating more closely to tackle international threats. And on European security and defence policy/policing missions, our presidency has seen three new missions become operational, including the first in Asia and Aceh. We expect to have a fourth, to assist to Palestinian Authority shortly. On future financing, the Government remain committed to working to try to agree a future financing deal in December.

Holy See

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the new United Kingdom Ambassador to the Holy See is a UK citizen.

Jack Straw: The next Ambassador to the Holy See is a British citizen.

Holy See

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 1 November, 2005, Official Report, column 954W, on Holy See, what assessment was made of the readership in Scotland of the (a) Scotsman, (b) Herald, (c) Guardian, (d) Daily Telegraph, (e) Times and (f) the Independent when deciding not to advertise the post of UK Ambassador to the Holy See in either (a) or (b) ; and with what comparative readership figures the Department was supplied.

Jack Straw: In line with our policy on specialist campaigns, we took advice from the recruitment agency and advertised in those journals with the largest UK circulation and with the means to reach a wide range of potential candidates.

Holy See

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications were received for the post of UK Ambassador for the Holy See; and how many of these were from applicants with return addresses in (a) England and Wales, (b) Scotland, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) overseas.

Jack Straw: We received 122 applications for the post of HM Ambassador to the Holy See. The regional breakdown of these applications is as follows:
	86 from England;
	two from Wales;
	four from Scotland;
	five from Northern Ireland;
	23 from overseas; and
	two failed to complete the application form properly and we are unable to confirm where they are from.

Iraq

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date he was first informed that anthrax supplied to Iraq was sourced from the United States.

Ian Pearson: I assume my hon. Friend is referring to imports by Iraq of anthrax from the United States. There was widespread media coverage in 1991 of the findings of the United Nations Special Commission's (UNSCOM) first inspection of Iraq's biological weapons capability. A number of pathogens were handed over to UNSCOM inspectors which had been sourced from the American type culture collection. These included Bacillis anthracis.

Italy

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Government officials had (a) direct contact and (b) contact via other parties with the Italian national Rocco Martino between 1999 and September 2002; and whether Government officials (i) met and (ii) had contact via other parties with Nicolo Pollari, director of the Italian military intelligence, between 2001 and 2003.

Douglas Alexander: It is not the Government's policy to comment on intelligence matters.

Ministerial Travel

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much has been spent in each year from 1st May 1997 on ministerial travel, broken down by (a) provision and running costs of vehicular transport, (b) first class travel by rail, (c) standard class travel by rail, (d) first class travel by air, (e) club or equivalent class travel by air and (f) economy class travel by air.

Jack Straw: Since 1999 this Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. Information for 1997–98 was included in the 1999 list. The overall cost of Minister's visits for the years 1995–96 and 1996–97 was provided with the 2001 list. The Government have also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Library of the House.
	Information on vehicular and rail transport is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Ministerial Travel

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list, for each year since 1995, the number of flights, including helicopter flights, taken by Ministers within his Department for UK and overseas visits; on how many occasions (a) charter flights were used and (b) first and club class tickets were obtained; and if he will indicate who accompanied the Ministers on each trip.

Jack Straw: Since 1999 this Government has published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. Information for 1997–98 was included in the 1999 list. The overall cost of Minister's visits for the years 1995–96 and 1996–97 was provided with the 2001 list. The list shows the number of officials who accompanied me where non-scheduled travel was used. Information on those who accompanied Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers on all trips since 1995 could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The Government has also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Library of the House.

Ministerial Travel

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the total cost was of amending his travel arrangements and returning from Moscow in order to vote in the House on 9 November; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Mid-Worcestershire (Peter Luff) on 16 November 2005, Official Report, columns 1267- 68W.

Nepal

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the British Ambassador to Nepal has been recalled to London.

Ian Pearson: No. The British Ambassador to Nepal has not been recalled. The Nepalese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has recently given agreement to the appointment of the present Ambassador's successor, in line with standard practice. The new Ambassador will take up his posting when the present Ambassador completes his tour of duty in June 2006. We will announce the name of the new Ambassador in due course.

Nuclear Non-proliferation

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 31 October 2005, Official Report, columns 753–54W, on non-proliferation, what his policy is on whether future projects providing indirect support to the consolidation, secure custody and elimination of special nuclear materials should continue to be financed using Community instruments in the Financial Perspective 2007–2013.

Jack Straw: We believe that there should be provision to fund such projects from the Community budget under the next Financial Perspective. We are currently discussing with the Commission a draft of a new Instrument for Nuclear Assistance which we would propose should provide the basis for funding such projects in the next Financial Perspective.

Nuclear Non-proliferation

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 31 October 2005, Official Report, columns 753–54W, on non-proliferation, whether he expects the Nuclear Safety Instrument in the financial perspective 2007–2013 to enable all existing projects funded by the European Commission that are supportive of nuclear non-proliferation activities to continue at their current levels.

Jack Straw: Funding for the Instrument for Nuclear Assistance will need to be agreed as part of the overall funding package agreed for the EU's next financial perspective. The UK, along with five other member states (Germany, France, the Netherlands, Austria and Sweden), believes that the Union's priorities can be funded by a budget stabilised at one per cent. of EU Gross National Income (GNI). The instrument will be funded out of the external actions " heading of the EC budget. We would prefer to see no growth under this heading. We will want funding for the instrument for nuclear assistance to be consistent with this, but also to provide sufficient resources to allow the commission to make a significant contribution towards achieving the EU's nuclear non-proliferation objectives, including those related to the Global Partnership.

Private Militia

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the merits of regulation of private (a) military and (b) security companies; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: In late 2004 I requested a review by officials of the options for the regulation of the overseas operations of private military and security companies registered in or operating from the United Kingdom. The aim was to follow up on the Green Paper of 2002, Private Military Companies: Options for Regulation", and to respond to the increase in the activities of private military and security companies in areas of conflict overseas. The review was completed in June 2005.I am currently seeking views from ministerial colleagues on the options for regulation. The Government will keep Parliament fully informed of their proposals in this area.

Retired Officers

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many retired officers were employed in overseas postings in each year since 1990; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not have a cadre of retired officers. We currently employ 66 individuals overseas in receipt of a civil service pension on a fee-paid basis, mainly to carry out specialised activities in the areas of security and visa operations. Under civil service pensions rules, such individuals have their pensions abated so that their total remuneration will not exceed their previous salary. The records of previous individual employment history are not held in a form that would provide information on earlier years or give details of how many individuals may have taken some kind of official retirement. This information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

South America

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with governments in the Andean region regarding (a) governance reforms and (b) the enhancement of democratic values.

Douglas Alexander: The UK places great value on its relationship with the Andean region and support efforts aimed at good governance and the promotion of democratic principles, in an effort to find lasting solutions to the challenges facing the region. We regularly impress upon the governments of the Andean region, bilaterally and through our presidency of the EU, the importance we attach to these matters. We will continue to raise important issues such as these at every suitable opportunity, both here in London, through our embassies in the Andean countries and in the course of high level visits in both directions.

Sudan

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the political situation in the Darfur region of Sudan.

Ian Pearson: The sixth round of Darfur peace talks, between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), adjourned on 20 October. The UK provided three experts to hold workshops on key areas, particularly security, during this round of negotiations. The parties engaged in negotiations constructively and made some progress on power sharing issues.
	However, we judge that progress remains slow. We are urging the parties to make more rapid headway when talks reconvene on 21 November and stand ready to provide further experts to assist the African Union (AU) mediators.
	We are concerned about continuing divisions within the SLM. United States Deputy Secretary of State, Robert Zoellick, chaired a meeting with both factions of the SLM and international partners, including the AU and UN, in Nairobi on 8–9 November. The UK participated actively in this meeting, which pressed the SLM to resolve their differences and negotiate with one voice when talks in Abuja reconvene.
	We remain firmly committed to the Abuja process, and will maintain a UK presence throughout the talks, in support of the mediation and the parties.

Sudan

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with permanent members of the United Nations Security Council on an arms embargo on the Sudanese Government.

Ian Pearson: On 29 March United Nations Security Council Resolution 1591 imposed an arms embargo on the Darfur region of Sudan and made provisions for an assets freeze and travel ban against certain categories of individuals. We have always maintained that the arms embargo should be broadened to cover the whole country, as with the European Union Arms Embargo. We have discussed this matter on several occasions with other members of the Security Council and will continue to do so.
	The UN panel of experts on the Sudan resolution will report in the coming weeks on implementation of the existing sanctions and possible further measures. We will urge the Council to follow up their recommendations quickly.

UK Ambassadors

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK ambassadors are not UK citizens; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: None.

UK Presidency

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his estimate is of the cost of running the UK presidency of the EU.

Douglas Alexander: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Vauxhall (Kate Hoey) on 9 June 2005, Official Report, columns 660–61W.

United States (Prince of Wales's Visit)

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who the duty Minister was in attendance in respect of HRH the Prince of Wales's official visit to the US.

Jack Straw: No Minister, either from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office or from another Government Department, accompanied Their Royal Highnesses to the United States.

United States (Prince of Wales's Visit)

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what basis Mr. Michael Fawcett was included in the process for the selection and purchase of official gifts given by HRH the Prince of Wales during his official visit to the US; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: We have no knowledge of any involvement of Mr. Michael Fawcett. The present for the President was based on a suggestion made by the British embassy in Washington. The presents for Mrs Bush were selected by His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall.

United States (Prince of Wales's Visit)

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which persons from the Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment accompanied HRH Prince of Wales on his official visit to the US; whether costs relating to such persons were met from public funds; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: No-one from the Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment accompanied His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales on his official visit to the US.

Zanzibar

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the (a) transparency and (b) legitimacy of the recent elections in Zanzibar.

Ian Pearson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Buckingham (John Bercow) on 15 November 2005 Official Report, column 1186W

NORTHERN IRELAND

11 Plus

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what criteria were used in making the decision that no pilot tests would be carried out in connection with the removal of the 11 plus.

Angela Smith: Government have accepted the recommendation of the Post-Primary Review Working Group that academic selection should end, with the final Transfer Tests taking place in autumn 2008. Pilot tests will not be required, as future transfer arrangements will be based on parental choice, informed by a Pupil Profile. The Northern Ireland Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment is developing the Pupil Profile and piloting it in a range of schools with teachers and parents involved.

Cancer Patients (Benefits)

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action the Department for Social Development is taking to improve access to the statutory benefits system for patients who have been diagnosed with cancer; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: For those suffering from cancer, the Social Security Agency's disability and carer's service contact centre assists with telephone applications for disability living allowance (DLA), attendance allowance (AA) and carer's allowance (CA). They can also avail of the special rules scheme within DLA and AA to fast track claims for terminally ill customers. Getting either benefit under special rules means the customer gets the highest rate for help with personal care.
	In conjunction with Macmillan Cancer Relief, the agency has worked to identify and address the barriers facing cancer patients when accessing benefits. As a result of this there has been:
	enhanced cancer awareness training for agency staff;
	an information booklet Help with the Cost of Cancer" was launched in March 2005; and
	an outreach service of specialist benefit advisers for those with cancer has been piloted. The pilot is proving successful and the next phase is being considered.

Company Insolvencies

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many company insolvencies there were in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years.

Angela Smith: The following table shows the number of insolvent liquidations in each of the last 10 financial years.
	
		
			 Year ending 31 March Number of compulsory liquidations(36) Number of insolvent voluntary liquidations Total for year 
		
		
			 1996 71 43 114 
			 1997 66 49 115 
			 1998 71 51 122 
			 1999 62 52 114 
			 2000 64 42 106 
			 2001 77 46 123 
			 2002 56 50 106 
			 2003 67 47 114 
			 2004 84 55 139 
			 2005(37) 71 44 115 
			 Total 689 479 1,168 
		
	
	(36) Excludes any winding-up orders which were subsequently rescinded by the court.
	(37) To date.

Cormorants

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his estimate is of the number of cormorants in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years.

Angela Smith: A 10-year average of 2,773 cormorants are present in Northern Ireland during the winter months (November to February), when numbers are highest. Data for the past 10 years is as follows:
	Winter population of Cormorants for Northern Ireland 1995–2005
	
		
			  Population 
		
		
			 2004–05 2,507 
			 2003–04 3,613 
			 2002–03 3,606 
			 2001–02 1,706 
			 2000–01 2,508 
			 1999–2000 3,116 
			 1998–99 3,725 
			 1997–98 2,447 
			 1996–97 1,978 
			 1995–96 2,522 
			 Average 2,773 
		
	
	There are around 600 breeding pairs in summer.

Crosshill Quarry, Crumlin

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what date the railway carriages in Crosshill Quarry, Crumlin, were cut up and repositioned.

Angela Smith: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the response I gave on Thursday 3 November 2005, Official Report, column 1369W.

Crosshill Quarry, Crumlin

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland under what conditions the deposit of the railway carriages in Crosshill Quarry, Crumlin, laid down by the planning appeal tribunal in 1983 were set aside.

Angela Smith: I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the response I gave on 3 November 2005, Official Report, column 1368W.

Disabled Access

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which Government buildings in Northern Ireland remain to be adapted to meet the needs of people with disabilities; and when the necessary adaptations are expected to be completed in each case.

Angela Smith: Details of Government buildings which remain to be adapted to meet DDA requirements have been placed in the Library.

Electronic Human Resources

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether an Equality Impact Assessment was carried out in respect of the proposal to outsource the Civil Service Electronic Human Resources work; and what assessment was made of the equality issues involved.

Angela Smith: The proposal to outsource Human Resource work, which would be carried out in a Shared Service Centre, is being considered as part of the Equality Impact Assessment of the eHR policy. Ministers have been briefed on the equality issues.

Emergency Drills

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what dates since October 2001, local authorities and emergency services in Northern Ireland have carried out emergency drills for terrorist attacks; where such drills took place; and which agencies were involved.

Shaun Woodward: Exercises carried out by Government, local authorities and the emergency services in response to the terrorist threat since October 2001 are detailed in the table:
	
		
			 Date of exercise Exercise organised by Nature of Exercise/Scenario Location Agencies involved 
		
		
			 20 June 2002 Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) Terrorist Chemical Attack on Windsor Park. Table top Exercise NIAS, Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast City Hospital 
			 26 February 2003 Ballymena Borough Council Chemical attack exercise Table top Exercise Ballymena Showgrounds NIAS, NIFRS, PSNI, Ballymena Council 
			 25 May 2003 Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Cross border civilian plane crash Live Exercise in Fermanagh Multi Agency, local authorities, PSNI and An Garda Siochana 
			 23 July 2003 Emergency Medical Assistance and Rescue Team (EMART) Test of call out procedures for delivery of PODS containing equipment for dealing with a CBRN incident Transported from storage in Belfast/Omagh areas to Tyrone County Hospital and Downe Hospital EMART Project Manager, NIAS and NIFRS 
			 5–6 March 2004 EMART Chemical attack exercise Tabletop and exercise at Stormont Hotel and NT Civil Sports Pavilion EMART Project Manager and EMART Volunteers, PSNI, NIFRS, NIAS 
			 8 April 2004 OFMDFM / NIO Exercise Counterbalance—a National Programme of seminars, presentations and table top exercises to raise awareness of CBRN Park Avenue Hotel DHSSPS, NIFRS, NIAS, MoD, HQNL NIO, PSNL Metropolitan Police, Home Office, London Resilience Team, Emergency Planning College, Maritime and Coastguard Agency 
			 26 May 2004 PSNI / N1O Terrorist release of gas at die Odyssey Arena New Salesman Exercise, Marine Court, Bangor PSNI, NIO, Home Office, HQNI, MoD, NIFRS, NIAS, and various technical experts from GB 
			 4 September 2004 EMART Coping with a disaster where there is a lack of infrastructure Test of EMART communications, mobilisation of 50 bed ward and staffing a casualty clearing station University of Ulster Professional Development Unit with the Territorial Army 
			 24 October 2004 Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) Explosion on board a ferry. Unknown chemical involved and possibility of terrorist attack Warrenpoint Harbour NIFRS NIAS 
			 17 December 2004 OFMDFM Tabletop Exercise to test senior officials from NI Departments and NIO Stormont NI Departments, NIO 
			 9 February 2005 Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH) Nerve gas attack Tabletop exercise carried out at RVH RVH Personnel NIAS 
			 13 April 2005 PSNI NIFRS Decontamination Capability Steeple Barracks, Antrim NIFRS 
			 18 May 2005 NIO Crisis Management Workshop—A series of presentations and tabletop exercises for NIO emergency responders Stormont NIO, PSNI, MoD 
			 10 June 2005 NIO Command Post Exercise to test the Government's response to a terrorist attack on NI infrastructure Stormont NIO, NI Departments, PSNI, NIFRS, HSE, HQNI, Home Office, Cabinet Office 
			 7/8 July 2005 PSNI CBRN Exercise in relation to visit to Belfast of the EU Employment Ministers Belfast PSNI, NIFRS, NIAS 
			 10 September 2005 Regional Virus Laboratory To test courier arrangements for transportation of potential smallpox clinical specimen for specialist analysis Regional Viral Laboratories to Health Protection Agency Specialist Laboratory in GB Laboratory personnel and courier service provider 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Many hospital trusts have not carried out specific exercises dealing with a terrorist attack hut continue to test and review major incident plans, designed to enable Trusts to respond to any major emergency, where a large number of casualties result, including plans to deal with chemical and radioactive contamination.
	2. There are no centrally held figures on specific local government exercises. Information would need to be sought from individual councils.

Grammar Schools

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had with parents about the grammar school system of education in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: During the last two months, I have had meetings with key interests to discuss new admissions arrangements for post-primary schools. This has included a meeting with two groups representing parents—the Concerned Parents for Education and the Parental Alliance for Choice in Education.
	It is important to hear the full range of views on this issue before making decisions on the way forward. I want to put in place a better system that provides choice, better opportunities and flexibility to all young people to enable them to reach their full potential.
	I will be publishing a summary report on the responses to the consultation on new admissions arrangements and making an announcement on the way forward shortly.

Marine Bill

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress he has made in developing proposals for a Marine Bill for Northern Ireland; and what resources have been set aside to implement the legislation.

Angela Smith: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has lead responsibility for taking forward work associated with the introduction of a Marine Bill. DEFRA officials have held discussions with the devolved administrations about the scope for their inclusion in the Bill.
	In light of these discussions officials in the Department of the Environment are currently considering possible options taking account of the policy development work and resources which would be necessary to enable Northern Ireland to participate in the Bill in line with the DEFRA timetable.
	No final decisions have yet been taken.

Parades Commission

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that parades for which no proper application has been submitted to the Parades Commission can be regulated by the Parades Commission.

Peter Hain: The current legal position in respect of giving advance notice of parades is set out in section 6 of the Public Processions (Northern Ireland) Act 1998. A person who organises or takes part in a parade in respect of which the requirements of section 6 as to notice have not been satisfied is guilty of an offence. The investigation and prosecution of such offences is a matter for the PSNI and the Public Prosecution Service. The Government have no plans to change the legal framework regarding this matter.

Parades Commission

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he plans to announce the appointment of the new Chairman and Members of the Parades Commission in Northern Ireland.

Shaun Woodward: The Government are committed to ensuring, so far as is practicable, that the Parades Commission is representative of the people of Northern Ireland. The current appointments expire on 31 December. A reappointments process began on 25 July and is on schedule for the new Commission to start on 1 January 2006.
	We have received 94 applications for membership of the Parades Commission and 49 applications for the position of Chair. We are pleased with the volume and quality of applications received from both sides of the community.
	The process is being run in close co-operation with the Office of the. Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA). An OCPA independent assessor is one of three panel members sifting and interviewing applicants for both Chair and membership.

Pensioners Parliament

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what public funding has been provided to Northern Ireland groups dealing with senior citizens' issues in Northern Ireland to attend a Pensioners Parliament in the United Kingdom in the last five years.

Angela Smith: I understand that Departments provide funding for some age sector organisations. However, I am not aware of any Departments having received requests for funding for individuals to attend the Pensioners Parliament.

Post Offices

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received about the proposed closure of Crown post offices in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: Representations have been made by the Communication Workers Union about the future of Crown post offices in Northern Ireland, Two parliamentary questions have also been answered on matters relating to the closure of post offices and the transfer of Crown post offices to private franchise in Northern Ireland. I would refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for South Antrim (Dr. McCrea) dated 10 October 2005, Official Report, columns 269W-70W and 14 November 2005, Official Report, column 1025W.
	The Post Office, posts and the regulation of postal services are reserved matters. Decisions on individual closures and conversions of directly managed Crown post offices are operational and commercial matters for Post Office Ltd.

Post-16 Education

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) 16, (b) 17, (c) 18, (d) 19, (e) 20 and (f) 21-year-olds were in further education in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years.

Angela Smith: The following table details the number of young people (aged 16–21) who attended a further education college in NI over the 10 year period 1995–96 to 2004–05.
	
		Students(38) in Further Education in Northern Ireland aged between 16 and 21 years, 1995–96 to 2004–05
		
			  Age(39) 
			 Academic year 16 17 18 19 20 21 Total 16 to 21-year-olds 
		
		
			 2004–05 9,764 9,306 7,139 4.689 3,147 2,630 36,675 
			 2003–04 10,392 9.344 6,884 4,544 3,372 2,594 37,130 
			 2002–03 9,657 10,036 6,728 4,341 2,759 2,095 35,616 
			 2001–02 10,257 10,198 7,051 4,203 2.736 2,176 36,621 
			 2000–01 10,475 10,139 7.083 4,263 2,828 2,040 36,828 
			 1999–2000 10.673 10,302 7,548 4,526 2,893 2,072 38,014 
			 1998–99 10.286 10,068 7,697 4,469 2,729 2,019 37,268 
			 1997–98 10,419 10,656 7,687 4,429 2,761 2,095 38,047 
			 1996–97 11,118 10,346 7,618 4.216 2,684 2.070 38,052 
			 1995–96 10,417 10,137 7,177 4,086 2,648 2,028 36,493 
		
	
	(38) Data relates to a snapshot of students on 1 November of the relevant academic year.
	(39) Age is at 1 July at the beginning of the relevant academic year.
	Source:
	FESR snapshot

Punishment Beatings

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  if he will list (a) dissident Republican and (b) Loyalist groups which have been linked to punishment beatings since July;
	(2)  when he intends to answer question 24767 tabled by the hon. Member for Lancaster and Wyre on 2 November.

Shaun Woodward: PSNI statistics for the period in question confirm that Loyalist paramilitaries carried out 13 assaults while dissident" Republicans were responsible for one assault.
	It should be noted that PSNI do not record attribution by specific loyalist faction, In many cases victims and witnesses to paramilitary assaults are unwilling or unable to provide the police with information that could assist in identifying such groups.

Race Crimes

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many race crimes have been referred by the Police Service for Northern Ireland to the Public Prosecution Service over the past three years; how many prosecutions were brought; and how many convictions were secured.

Shaun Woodward: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (David Hanson) on 24 October 2005, Official Report, column 110W).
	Statistics relating to prosecutions for racially motivated crimes are not currently available. The table outlines the number of racially motivated crimes cleared by the police in 2004–05 (the first financial year for which data is available). A breakdown by clearance type is provided which includes the number of crimes cleared by way of a charge or summons.
	
		
			 Crime clearance method 1 April 2004 to 31 March 2005 
		
		
			 Charge / Summons 59 
			 Caution / informal warning (including juvenile) 11 
			 No further police action (40) 31 
			 Total crimes cleared 101 
		
	
	(40) Includes cases where the complainant declined to prosecute, and where the suspected offender is under the age of criminal responsibility or has died.

Retail Market

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment his Department has made of the extent of competition in the Northern Ireland retail market; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I have been asked to reply.
	The Department has not undertaken any research into this market. Competition in the supermarket and grocery sectors is a matter for the independent competition authorities, in this instance the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).

Retail Market

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what research has been undertaken by his Department into the market share of each of the four largest multiple retail chains in Northern Ireland.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I have been asked to reply.
	The Department has not undertaken any research into this market. Competition in the supermarket and grocery sectors is a matter for the independent competition authorities, in this instance the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).

Roads

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the reasons for the recent changes in funding for structural roads maintenance; what was the initial external budget for structural maintenance in each district council area in the financial year (a) 2003, (b) 2004 and (c) 2005–06; and what action is being taken to ensure that the allocation of funding for this purpose is sufficient to enable the targets set in the Regional Transportation Strategy to be met.

Shaun Woodward: The draft Budget provides that, by 2008, total Government spending in NI will exceed £16 billion, a jump of more than 50 per cent. since 1997. Public expenditure in NI is by far the highest figure for any region of the UK and is 29 per cent. higher than the UK average.
	Notwithstanding this, there are many pressures on the Northern Ireland Budget and the roads' programme must compete for funding along with other spending programmes, The draft Priorities and Budget 2006–08 is presently out for consultation. It allocated additional resources for Health and for Education and this inevitably had some implications for other programmes including roads maintenance. It is expected that the revised Budget will be announced in December 2005.
	The Regional Transportation Strategy (2002–12) identified strategic transportation investment priorities and considered potential funding sources arid affordability of planned initiatives over the 10-year period. It was explained in the RTS that the level of public expenditure funding for the strategy would be determined through the normal budgetary process, which will take account of the needs of other departments and decisions on priorities.
	I should explain that Roads Service's maintenance budgets are not allocated at the outset of the financial year on a district council basis. Therefore, it is not possible to give an initial budget for structural maintenance in each district council area as requested. A breakdown of structural maintenance expenditure by district council is set out as follows for 2003–04 and 2004–05. It should be noted that these figures are based on the expenditure in the previous two financial years and that they include the contribution made by the Roads Service in-house contractor.
	The structural maintenance budget for the 2005–06 year is currently £60.5 million, however a breakdown of this amount at the district council level cannot be provided at this stage.
	
		£ million
		
			  Structural maintenance 
			 District council 2003–04 outturn 2004–05 outturn 
		
		
			 Antrim 3.0 2.4 
			 Coleraine 3.4 2.4 
			 Limavady 2.6 2.1 
			 Moyle 1.3 1.3 
			 Ballymoney 2.1 1.5 
			 Derry 3.2 2.7 
			 Ballymena 3.3 3.0 
			 Larne 1.6 1.4 
			 Belfast 6.4 5.9 
			 Castlereagh 1.4 1.2 
			 Newtownabbey 2.0 2.2 
			 Carrickfergus 0.9 0.8 
			 North Down 2.6 1.3 
			 Lisburn 4.8 4.5 
			 Ards 2.3 2.2 
			 Armagh 3.9 4.1 
			 Newry and Mourne 4.4 4.9 
			 Banbridge 2.6 2.4 
			 Craigavon 3.2 3.4 
			 Down 3.5 3.4 
			 Magherafelt 2.7 2.2 
			 Omagh 4.9 4.0 
			 Strabane 3.4 3.9 
			 Cookstown 2.5 2.2 
			 Fermanagh 5.5 4.6 
			 Dungannon 5.4 4.0 
			 Total structural maintenance summary 82.9 73.8 
		
	
	
		Total structural maintenance—summary
		
			 £ million 
			  Outturn Budget 
		
		
			 2003–04 82.9 — 
			 2004–05 73.8 — 
			 2005–06 — 60.5

School Admissions

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects to introduce legislation to change the admissions policy of schools in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: I am considering the responses to the consultation on admissions arrangements and will announce my decisions on the way forward shortly.

School Transport

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the annual cost of school transport if the compulsory seat belt policy is implemented on school buses in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: The cost of the provision of seat belts on school buses is currently under consideration by the Department of the Environment in its assessment of the four key recommendations of the Northern Ireland Assembly's home to school transport public inquiry. It is expected that the findings of this work, which is being carried out in partnership with the Department for Regional Development and the Department of Education, will be published shortly.
	DOE is currently analysing the results of school bus occupancy surveys carried out in April/May and September this year which are informing the final stages of the assessment.

Security Guards (Crown Insignia)

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether security guards providing services to Northern Ireland Civil Service buildings wear Crown insignia.

Angela Smith: The wearing of Crown insignia by support grades providing security guard services to NICS buildings is a matter for each Department to determine. Currently 67 staff are supplied with a uniform with Crown insignia. Some security guards for NICS buildings, are provided by private contractors who do not wear Crown insignia.

Sewage (Strangford)

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has (a) to improve the sewage system at Darragh Cross and (b) to upgrade the system to include the villages of Raffrey and Derryboye; and if he will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: The Chief Executive of Water Service (Mrs. Katharine Bryan) has been asked to write to the hon. Member in response to this question.
	Letter from Mrs. Katharine Bryan to Mrs. Iris Robinson, dated June 2005.
	You recently asked a Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to improve the sewerage system at Darragh Cross and to upgrade the system to include the villages of Raffrey and Derryboye (2590). I have been asked to reply as this issue falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Water Service.
	The existing foul sewer, sewage pumping station and associated pumping main on the Killyleagh Road, Darragh Cross were upgraded in 2004 to cater for existing and future development. Water Service plans to decommission the existing wastewater treatment works at Darragh Cross and to pump the wastewater to the Saintfield Wastewater Treatment Works, which is to be upgraded to ensure compliance with future regulatory standards and to cater for future development. The project is scheduled to commence in early 2006 and to be completed in the summer of 2007, subject to all statutory approvals being obtained.
	Like many other small settlements in Northern Ireland, Derryboye and Raffrey do not presently have public sewerage facilities and properties in the areas are currently served by private septic tanks, Water Service plans to carry out a detailed investigation to determine the economic viability of providing first time sewerage facilities for both areas, following the publication of the Ards/Down Area Plan 2015.

Social Work Students

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make social work degree students from Northern Ireland studying outside Northern Ireland eligible for bursaries.

Shaun Woodward: Northern Ireland students undertaking higher education courses in social work are entitled to receive support in accordance with the Education (Student Support) Regulations. Such support comprises income-assessed grants towards tuition fees, higher education bursaries, student loans and supplementary grants.
	Separately, from the mandatory arrangements described above the DHSSPS administers an incentive scheme, designed to attract Northern Ireland domiciled students to study for social work in Northern Ireland, in order to best meet the needs of the Northern Ireland social services work force. Social work students from Northern Ireland intending to study outside Northern Ireland therefore fall outside the terms of the incentive scheme, but remain able to apply for the usual student support in accordance with the Education (Student Support) Regulations.
	However, in light of experience in operating the scheme, the DHSSPS is planning to review, from an equality perspective, that aspect of the scheme that precludes support funding for students from Northern Ireland, studying outside Northern Ireland.

Unauthorised Encampments

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to introduce measures to combat unauthorised encampments.

David Hanson: The Unauthorised Encampments (Northern Ireland) Order 2005 includes provisions aimed at combating unauthorised encampments. However, as indicated during the debate into the legislation, I intend to defer bringing the substantive provisions of the order into effect until I am satisfied that an adequate number of transit sites is operational in Northern Ireland, I anticipate that five sites will be operational in 2006, I am reviewing the situation with the Housing Executive with a view to enabling the necessary provisions as soon as possible once the sites are operational.

Water Service

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the rationalisation process in the Water Service.

Shaun Woodward: The Chief Executive of Water Service (Mrs. Katharine Bryan) has been asked to write to the hon. Member in response to this question.
	Letter from Mrs. Katharine Bryan to Mr. Eddie McGrady, dated 2 June 2005
	You recently tabled a Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the rationalisation process in the Water Service (1434). I have been asked to reply as this issue fails within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Water Service.
	A key part of the Government's Water Reform agenda is the need to reduce costs and improve efficiency in order to minimize charges to customers. Water Service has been set a target of £43 million reductions in operating costs by April 2009. By March 2005, £12 million of that had been delivered.
	In order to meet these targets, the size of the workforce is reducing and will reduce further. To date all reductions have been made by natural wastage. The Minister has made it clear that all possible steps will be taken to avoid compulsory redundancy.
	Water Service Management are looking at all areas of expenditure to reduce costs. These include examining the number of offices and depots required in future. No decisions have yet been reached in. this area. Any changes resulting from the review would be subject to the normal requirements regarding equality, industrial relations and personnel procedures, In addition Water Service is looking at how it delivers its services in a number of areas. Among the options being considered is the centralisation of those services where quality and/or cost improvements would result. Once again, any decisions reached in these areas would require all the appropriate procedures to be followed.

Youth Funding

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the (a) actions and (b) activities to be funded by the children and young people's funding package announced in Budget and Priorities 2006 to 2008, indicating (i) the amounts attached to each and (ii) the planned delivery mechanisms.

Angela Smith: It is intended that the package, which will initially be targeted on disadvantaged areas, will support the development of innovative approaches to delivering early years' and pre-school education and other provision for the 0–4s, After School Activities and Youth provision, strengthened child protection arrangements, development of inter-agency co-operation and collaboration and improved educational provision and support for Looked After Children and Young People. Details of the actions, activities, associated allocations and delivery mechanisms for the funding package have not yet been determined and these will be agreed by the Secretary of State before the final Budget announcement in December.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Charities

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when charities lost exemption from competition rules on exchange of information; what mechanism was used to make the change; for what reasons it was made; and how it was communicated to (a) Parliament, (b) charities and (c) the general public.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Since coming into force in March 2000, the Competition Act 1998 has applied to all undertakings. This includes charities where they are carrying out economic activities. The Competition Act 1998 represented a major strengthening of UK competition law and was the subject of extensive public consultation. In particular the aims of the Bill were outlined in detail in the August 1997 consultation document A prohibition approach to anti-competitive agreements and abuse of dominant position". The draft Bill was debated fully in Parliament.

Clear Skies Programme

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of (a) the quality and (b) the number of (i) solar hot water, (ii) biomass, (iii) wind, (iv) ground source heat pump and (v) hydro projects supported by the Clear Skies grant programme since 2002; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 11 November 2005
	The information requested is as follows.
	(a) The quality of projects supported under the Clear Skies programme has been maintained through establishing an approved installer and products list. Quality is also maintained by having an independent selection panel for community projects.
	(b) Clear Skies has been a successful programme and has exceeded its original targets for installations.

Clear Skies Programme

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the funding requirements of solar photovoltaics following the end of the Clear Skies scheme.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department has supported photovoltaics since 2002 through the £31 million Major Photovoltaics Demonstration Programme. We plan to continue its support for photovoltaics and other building scale renewables through a low carbon buildings programme, which is currently under development. The new programme will have a budget of £30 million over three years. It will start in April 2006 subject to EU state aids clearance.
	We have also commissioned a report to study the economic potential for the UK of microgeneration technologies and this report will be published shortly.

Coal Imports

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much coal has been imported from China in the last five years.

Malcolm Wicks: The total amount of coal imported by the UK from China over the five years from 2000 to 2004 was 1,579,000 tonnes.
	A breakdown of the amounts is shown in the following table.
	
		Thousand tonnes
		
			  Steam coal Anthracite Total 
		
		
			 2000 — 143 143 
			 2001 295 410 705 
			 2002 208 80 288 
			 2003 170 40 210 
			 2004 190 43 233 
			 Total 863 716 1,579 
		
	
	Source:
	HM Revenue and Customs as reported in Table G.5 of Annex G to the Digest of UK Energy Statistics in 2005 (on DTI website)

Correspondence

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will reply to the letters from the hon. Member for Clwyd, South of 5 May 2004, 15 June 2004, 26 July 2004 and 22 March 2005 relating to his constituent Mr. Arthur Roberts.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Due to a number of administrative errors these letters were overlooked. Please accept my apologies for the very poor handling of your constituent's concerns. Your letters are now being urgently processed and you will receive a response shortly.
	The Department of Trade and Industry takes seriously its responsibility for responding to Members' correspondence and has new procedures in place to avoid errors such as this in the future.

Criminal Offences

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the criminal offences created in legislation sponsored by his Department between the end of the 2003–04 session and the end of April 2005, broken down by Act.

Alan Johnson: holding answer 14 November 2005
	There were no criminal offences created in legislation sponsored by my Department between the end of the 2003–04 session and the end of April 2005.

Departmental Rebranding

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much has been spent on rebranding in his Department and related agencies in each of the last five years.

Alan Johnson: In 2002–03 the Department spent £450,000, in 2003–04 £100,000, in 2004–05 £10,000, on identity development and design guidelines towards the rationalisation around the single DTI logo.
	In 2005 the proposal to change the name of the Department cost a total of £30,000.
	In 2003 the rebranding of British Trade International (BTI) to UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) cost £600,000.
	Letter from Jeanne Spinks to Dr. Vincent Cable, dated 17 November 2005
	You have asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much has been spent on rebranding in his Department and related agencies in each of the last five years.
	The Employment Tribunals Service (ETS) have spent £10,407 on rebranding in the last five years. This is broken down per financial year as follows:
	2000–01—£5,000 for design of Corporate Identity and new ETS logo
	2001–02—£4,982 for design of Corporate Identity
	2002–03—£425 for design of 'DTI Service' logo and boilerplate
	Letter from Desmond Flynn to Dr. Vincent Cable, dated 17 November 2005
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question (2005/1161) regarding expenditure in the Insolvency Service Agency on rebranding during the last five years.
	The Insolvency Service has not spent anything on rebranding as such. We publish a wide variety of leaflets which are reprinted at frequent intervals and this has enabled us to take on board any DTI branding changes at no additional cost.
	Letter from Martin Wyn Griffith to Dr. Vincent Cable, dated 17 November 2005
	I refer to your parliamentary question tabled on 12 October asking for details of how much has been spent on rebranding in the Department for Trade and Industry and related agencies in each of the last five years. The Secretary of State has asked me to reply on behalf of the Small Business Service.
	Since the setting up of the Small Business Service in 2000 there has been no rebranding but a short project was undertaken in 2003 with regard to considering the brand but this was not taken forward.
	Letter from Claire Clancy to Dr. Vincent Cable, dated 17 November 2005
	I am responding to your recently tabled Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on behalf of Companies House, which is an Executive Agency of the DTI.
	The amount spent by Companies House on re-branding in each of the last five years is as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 2000–01 0 
			 2001–02 156,000 
			 2002–03 15,000 
			 2003–04 0 
			 2004–05 0 
		
	
	Letter from Jeff Llewellyn to Dr. Vincent Cable, dated 17 November 2005
	The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has asked me to reply on behalf of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory (NWML) to your question regarding the amount spent on rebranding by the Department of Trade and Industry and related Agencies in each of the last five years.
	The amount spent on rebranding by the National Weights & Measures Laboratory (NWML) during the last five years has been minimal. Stocks of redundant stationery and publicity materials have been small and design work was completed mainly by DTI. NWML staff have spent a small amount of time discussing rebranding issues with HQ staff.

Departmental Sickness Absence

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what guidelines his Department has in place to deal with sickness absence; and what steps are being taken to reduce the rate of sickness absence.

Alan Johnson: The DTI has a range of guidelines in place to deal with sickness absence. The DTI takes the management of sickness absence very seriously and has tightened up the procedures for reporting, improving data collection and handling absences, including coaching managers to gain the knowledge and skills to manage specific cases.

Departmental Skills Development Plan

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which individual is responsible for developing and implementing his Department's Skills Development Plan.

Alan Johnson: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office on 2 November 2005, Official Report, column 1074W.

Electricity Supply

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research has been undertaken by his Department into reducing electricity demand through replacement of inefficient end-use of electricity by more efficient technologies in order to reduce insecurities created by a reduced capacity margin in electricity supply.

Alan Johnson: holding answer 15 November 2005
	DEFRA has the overall lead in Whitehall on energy efficiency, including to support relevant research both directly and via the Carbon Trust. Directly funded research by DEFRA into the potential for cost effective energy efficiency in the business, public and households sectors, primarily to establish the scope for carbon savings, is currently in the order of £200,000 per year. Carbon Trust investment in R&D into low carbon technologies and programmes to promote energy efficiency in the business and public sectors is more substantial. More information on relevant programmes can be found at: http://www.thecarbontrust.co.uk/carbontrust/
	Research councils expenditure on energy efficiency research since 1999 is set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Energy efficiency and low carbon innovation (£000) 
		
		
			 1999–2000 1,694 
			 2000–01 1,400 
			 2001–02 1,671 
			 2002–03 1,980 
			 2003–04 1,212 
			 2004–05 2,914 
		
	
	Energy efficiency research features as a key element of the research councils Carbon Vision Programme (funded jointly with the Carbon Trust). Details of programmes and relevant research projects funded by EPSRC can be found at the new energy programme website www.epsrc.ac.uk/energy, which has a specific page on energy efficiency (http://www.epsrc.ac.uk/researchhighlights/energy/guide/energyefficiency.htm)

Emissions Targets

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether it is a target of his Department to achieve a 20 per cent. reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2010; what progress his Department has made towards achieving its public service agreement target 4; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Johnson: The Government's goal is to achieve a 20 per cent. reduction in C0 2 emissions on 1990 levels by 2010. DTI PSA 4 states that my Department will lead work to deliver the goals of energy policy, including work to move towards the 20 per cent. reduction, through measures including energy efficiency and renewables.
	The Government publish annual reports of progress against the energy policy goals set out in PSA 4. The next progress report will be published in mid December and available on my Department's website.
	The Government will set out both an assessment of progress against our 20 per cent. goal and further measures to contribute towards its achievement, in a revised climate change programme, which we are aiming to publish around the turn of the year.

Gender Equality

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list UK organisations in receipt of (a) UK and (b) EU funds for projects promoting gender equality, broken down by (i) project and (ii) amount; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Johnson: This answer cannot be provided as the information can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Government Chief Scientific Adviser

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what overseas visits the Chief Adviser for the Government on Science has made in the last two years; where his interests are recorded; what meetings he has had with the Prime Minister in the last two years; and which of the chief scientific advisers to Government Departments he has met in the last 12 months.

Alan Johnson: A list of the Chief Scientific Adviser's (CSA) international visits during the past two years is as follows.
	
		
			 Dates International visits 
		
		
			 November 2003 Canada 
			 December 2003 Holland 
			 December 2003 Japan 
			 February 2004 Japan/Taiwan 
			 March 2004 India 
			 April 2004 Belgium 
			 June 2004 France 
			 2004 Germany 
			 July 2004 Russia 
			 July 2004 Korea/China 
			 October 2004 Spain 
			 October 2004 Rome 
			 October 2004 Belgium 
			 November 2004 Switzerland 
			 December 2004 Italy 
			 February 2005 India 
			 March 2005 Poland 
			 April 2005 Portugal 
			 May 2005 South Africa/Tanzania 
			 May 2005 Germany 
			 June 2005 Canada 
			 June 2005 Brazil 
			 May 2005 Italy 
			 September 2005 USA 
			 October 2005 Senegal 
			 October 2005 Australia/Singapore 
			 October 2005 Russia 
		
	
	The CSA has agreed the handling of his relevant interests with the permanent secretary, DTI, in accordance with the terms and conditions of his employment.
	The CSA has met my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister regularly during the past two years.
	The CSA has met all the Chief Scientific Advisers to Government Departments regularly during the past year.

IT Projects

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many IT projects have been developed for his Department since 2001; and whether he has agreed to make public Gateway Reviews for these projects (a) in full and (b) in part.

Alan Johnson: The majority of the Department's IT services are provided through a PFI agreement with Fujitsu Services. The Department has not been asked to make public, either in full or in part, any project requiring a Gateway Review.

Low-carbon Buildings

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to his written statement on 2 November 2005, Official Report, column 47WS, on low-carbon buildings, what assessment he has made of the likely impact of the arrangements for grant support he has announced on (a) private sector investment in the UK micro-renewables industry, and (b) the ability of micro-renewables to contribute to future Government energy efficiency and renewable energy targets.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 11 November 2005
	The information requested is as follows:
	(a) The Clear Skies and Solar PV Programmes have contributed to the development of the micro generation industry in the UK, including an installer base. The new low carbon buildings programme will continue to fund the installation of micro generation technologies in household, community and large-scale projects. The new programme and the wider micro generation strategy currently under development will aim to introduce further measures to help develop a sustainable market for all the buildings renewable technologies.
	(b) The focus on energy efficiency and grant support for renewable technologies under the new programme will continue to make a contribution to energy efficiency and renewable energy targets.

Medical Research Council

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the budget of the Medical Research Council has been in each year since 1997–98; and what percentage of the budget was spent in each year.

Alan Johnson: While the Medical Research Council (MRC) has some separate external income, it derives its main funding from the Science Budget. The following table sets out MRC's allocations from the Science Budget and the proportion of that allocation spent in each year, from 1997–98. Where the proportion of expenditure exceeds 100 per cent. the excess represents the utilisation of unspent budget available from previous years.
	
		
			 Financial year Budget (allocation) £ million Percentage spent 
		
		
			 1997–98 289.1 100.9 
			 1998–99 290.2 98.8 
			 1999–2000 304.5 101.2 
			 2000–01 319.2 100.2 
			 2001–02 349.6 96.5 
			 2002–03 377.2 91.9 
			 2003–04 430.6 97.1 
			 2004–05 455.2 92.4 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Cash basis 1997–98 to 2000–01 RAB basis 2001–02 onwards.
	2. Figures are the total of current and capital

Microgeneration

Barbara Follett: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the merits of encouraging the use of microgeneration in homes and businesses.

Malcolm Wicks: A public consultation on the Government strategy to promote microgeneration was held between 23 June and 23 September this year. 200 responses were received and are being analysed. In addition a study into the costs and benefits of microgeneration was commissioned and is expected to report shortly. The findings of this study and the responses to the consultation are being fed into the process of developing the final strategy, which will be published in April 2006.

Offshore Wind Power

Bob Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what contribution he expects offshore wind power to make to Government policy for tackling climate change.

Malcolm Wicks: The Government have a target of 10 per cent. of electricity to come from renewables sources by 2010. This would save approximately 2.5 million tonnes of carbon per year if the equivalent amount of energy were generated from gas. Current assessments suggest that as much as 7 per cent. of electricity could be generated from onshore and offshore wind by 2010.
	Four Round 1 offshore projects, totalling 400MW in generation capacity, should be operational by the end of 2005. A further eight Round 1 projects have been awarded grant support and are being progressed. Two Round 2 offshore projects have recently submitted applications for consent.

Renewable Energy

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans the Government have to power their buildings from renewable energy sources.

Alan Johnson: The Department has purchased electricity from renewable sources since 1999. The amount bought equates to average of 32.3 per cent. of the total electricity consumed on the HQ estate which compares favourably to the Sustainable Development in Government (SDIG) energy target which is to buy 10 per cent. by 2008.
	The Departments strategy is to increase the percentage of renewable energy supplied to the estate as existing contracts are reviewed, if available.

Renewable Energy

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much of the total expenditure in 2005 under the capital grant programme for biomass research was funded by (a) his Department and (b) the National Lottery.

Malcolm Wicks: The bio-energy capital grants scheme provides support for specific projects which deploy biomass technologies. It does not support pure research into biomass.
	Under the scheme, the DTI and the Big Lottery Fund both provide funding for qualifying projects but for administrative reasons, individual projects are either supported by DTI or by the lottery.
	From 1 January 2005 to date, the Big Lottery Fund has provided funding for capital projects of £3,166,965 but the DTI has provided no funding as yet. The present imbalance in the drawdown of funds is due primarily to the timing of individual projects.

Skills Sector (National Co-ordination)

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what formal co-ordination in respect of skills issues takes place between the regional development agencies, the Learning and Skills Councils and the sector skills councils; how frequently these agencies meet; and whether meetings take place at (a) board and (b) operational level.

Phil Hope: I have been asked to reply.
	The Skills White Paper 21st Century Skills: Realising Our Potential invited Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) to lead the establishment of Regional Skills Partnerships (RSPs). These bring together the RDA, the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) with other regional partners to plan and co-ordinate the provision of skills and business support that reflects the priorities of the Regional Economic Strategy. The organisation of RSPs and the number and frequency of meetings varies regionally.
	At national level the RDAs are represented on the board of the LSC. The Skills for Business Network and the LSC are involved in the governance and programme board arrangements for the Skills Strategy with meetings taking place monthly.

Solar Photovoltaics

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research he has commissioned on the viability of photovoltaic solar cells as a significant national renewable energy source.

Malcolm Wicks: The Renewables Innovation Review (February 2004), which looked at the viability of photovoltaics and other renewable technologies, suggested that the environmental benefits in buildings could be maximised by developing an appropriate mix of building integrated renewables and energy efficiency. It recommended taking this forward through a technology blind, capital grant based, low carbon building programme and this is what we intend to do. The new low carbon buildings programme will have a budget of £30 million over three years. It will start in April 2006 subject to EU state aids clearance.
	We have also commissioned a report to study the UK potential for micro generation technologies and this report will be published shortly.

Solar Photovoltaics

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the impact of the Government's solar photovoltaics major demonstration programme on private sector investment in the UK solar industry.

Malcolm Wicks: The solar photovoltaics major demonstration and Clear Skies programmes have contributed to the development of the micro generation industry in the UK, including an installer base. The new low carbon buildings programme will continue to fund the installation of microgeneration technologies in household, community and large-scale projects. A budget of £30 million over three years for the programme was announced on 2 November. It will be launched in April 2006 subject to EU state aids clearance.
	The new programme and the wider micro generation strategy currently under development will aim to introduce further measures to help develop a sustainable market for solar PV as well as all the building renewable technologies.

Solar Photovoltaics

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to ensure levels of capital grant support to the (a) solar photovoltaics and (b) other micro-renewable industries increase during the six years of the low carbon building programme.

Malcolm Wicks: I recently announced a budget of £30 million over three years for the new low carbon buildings programme, which is due to start in April 2006 subject to EU state aids approval.
	Further options and support for the micro renewable sector will be considered in the future.

Statistics of Trade Act

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  how many (a) males and (b) females have been (i) charged and (ii) convicted in England and Wales of offences under section 4 of the Statistics of Trade Act 1947 in each year since 1984;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the operation of the Statistics of Trade Act 1947.

John Healey: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell to Mr. David Amess, dated 17 November 2005
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions asking how many (a) males and (b) females have been (i) charged and (ii) convicted in England and Wales of offences under section 4 of the Statistics of Trade Act 1947 in each year since 1984 (28271), and if I will make a statement on the operation of the Statistics of Trade Act 1947. (28272).
	To address your first question, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) carries out its functions under the provision of the Statistics of Trade Act 1947. Penalties are provided under section 4, that can be imposed by a Magistrates' Court in the event of failure to comply with our legal request. This response relates to summons and convictions relating to surveys conducted by ONS under the 1947 Act, and excludes any other government departments. Our understanding is that we are the main users of the 1947 Act, and to our knowledge few other government departments impose penalties under section 4, Legal action is taken against businesses who fail to comply rather than individuals and so therefore a gender breakdown is not appropriate.
	The attached table shows the figures for the period requested. I have provided the information on the basis of the number in receipt of a summons and those that then go on to be convicted. The difference is those that have been withdrawn due to their willingness to comply. Only those who remain unwilling to comply will be heard in the Magistrates' Court and ultimately convicted.
	To address your second question; again, I must make it clear that the policy only relates to ONS' operation of the 1947 Act. ONS has signed up to an 'enforcement concordat' which is regulated by the Cabinet Office. Under this agreement ONS have given an undertaking to 'carry out our duties in a fair, equitable and consistent manner'.
	We recognise that most businesses want to comply with the law. We will, therefore take care to help businesses and others meet their legal obligations without unnecessary expense, while taking firm action, including prosecution where appropriate, against those who flout the law.
	All businesses are provided with information regarding their statutory obligation to complete ONS questionnaires and they are advised on the consequences of non-compliance. We believe in, prevention being better than the cure and our role in enforcing compliance actively involves working with businesses, especially small and medium sized businesses, to advise on, and assist with compliance. We will discuss general issues, specific compliance failures or problems, with anyone experiencing difficulties, and continue to offer assistance after the receipt of the summons in order to gain compliance and prevent prosecution.
	
		Number of summons issued, including those withdrawn and convicted, under the Statistics of Trade Act 1947, for the period 1984–2004
		
			  Number of summons issued Number withdrawn because they complied before court appearance Number convicted 
		
		
			 1984 30 2 28 
			 1985 3 0 3 
			 1986 9 2 7 
			 1987 12 2 10 
			 1988 9 2 7 
			 1989 8 1 7 
			 1990 9 0 9 
			 1991 8 7 1 
			 1992 1 0 1 
			 1993 36 25 11 
			 1994 16 9 7 
			 1995 32 26 6 
			 1996 29 25 4 
			 1997 22 16 6 
			 1998 17 12 5 
			 1999 39 34 5 
			 2000 24 22 2 
			 2001 24 19 5 
			 2002 25 22 3 
			 2003 19 15 4 
			 2004 27 20 7 
		
	
	Note:
	From 1993 onwards, reveals the policy adopted is that every effort is made to gain compliance, prosecution is only used as a last resort.

Two Roof Strategy

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the progress of his Department's two roof strategy.

Alan Johnson: The two roof programme is a ground breaking change programme to rationalise its central London estate and transform the way we use our workspace. This core element of the DTI's Efficiency Programme offers a new and radical approach to workspace utilisation and will allow the Department to reduce its accommodation by approximately 30 per cent. Starting in 1 Victoria Street, the accommodation is being remodelled as part of a wider change programme to support team based desking in a flexible, open plan working environment on the basis of providing on average eight desks for every 10 people to be accommodated. This has enabled us to increase the capacity of our main HQ building from 1,680 under the original, traditional approach to approximately 2,400 now and to release other buildings on the estate for reuse or disposal. This change programme will now be applied to the rest of our London accommodation.

TREASURY

Corporation Tax

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much corporation tax was raised from businesses in Wales in each year since 1997.

Dawn Primarolo: The information is not available to estimate the amount of corporation tax raised from businesses in Wales in each year since 1997.

Economic Productivity

Peter Law: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the relationship between primary energy use and economic productivity.

John Healey: ONS figures show that energy consumption in the UK, as measured by the consumption of primary fuels or equivalents, has risen by 8 per cent. since 1990. Over the same time period, Gross Domestic Product has increased by more than 36 per cent. in real terms, and the UK's productivity performance continues to improve.
	While oil prices have increased lately, it should be noted that actual productivity (trend output per hour worked) is estimated to have grown by 2.35 per cent. over the recent past (1997H1–2005Q1)-higher than growth of 2.03 per cent. over the previous economic cycle (1986Q2–1997H1).

Hospital Births (Southampton)

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many babies have been born in each hospital operated by Southampton University Hospitals Trust in each of the last five years.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell to Sandra Gidley, dated 17 November 2005
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your request for the number of babies born in each hospital operated by Southampton University Hospitals Trust in each of the last five years. (29189)
	The table below shows the number of live births occurring in the requested hospitals and birth centres.
	
		Live births occurring in Southampton University Trust Hospitals 2000–04
		
			 Place of birth Year of birth 
			  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Princess Anne hospital,Southampton(41) 4319 4197 4283 4405 4459 
			 Hythe Birth Centre 102 132 65 114 110 
			 Lymington Birth Centre 121 105 95 85 148 
			 Romsey Birth Centre 49 59 58 77 75 
		
	
	* Includes Broadlands Birth Centre which is co-located with Princess Anne hospital and cannot be separately identified.

Illegal Drugs (Staffordshire)

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many deaths in Staffordshire were caused by illegal drugs in each year since 1997.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell to Mr. Brian Jenkins, dated 17 November 2005
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many deaths in Staffordshire have been caused by illegal drugs since 1997. (29384)
	Figures readily available from death certification relate deaths due to drug poisoning, not the total number that were attributable to drug use. These figures are produced from a special database which contains deaths where the underlying cause was drug poisoning. Deaths that may be caused indirectly by drug use, for example HIV infection or road traffic accidents, are not included. Death registration data are not the best source of information on these indirect" deaths, because information on the role of drug use in the death may not be provided on the death certificate.
	The most recent year for which figures are available is 2003. The table below shows deaths certified as due to drug poisoning and involving drugs controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act for each year from 1997 to 2003.
	
		Deaths certified as due to drug poisoning(41) and involving drugs controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act, Staffordshire,(42) 1997–2003(43)
		
			  Number of deaths 
		
		
			 1997 10 
			 1998 11 
			 1999 21 
			 2000 11 
			 2001 8 
			 2002 16 
			 2003 12 
		
	
	(41) Defined using the following codes from the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision for 2001–2003: F11-F16, F18-F19, X40-X44, X60-X64, Y10-Y14, X85 and the following codes from the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision for 1997–2000: 292, 304, 305.2–305.9, E850-E858, E950.0-E950.5, E962.0 and E980.0-E980.5.
	(42) Usual residents of the county of Staffordshire, excluding the Unitary Authority of Stoke on Trent.
	(43) Data are for deaths occurring in each calendar year.

Income Tax Returns

Martin Horwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many fines were issued for the late return of income tax returns in each year since 2000, broken down by tax office; and how many were subsequently refunded in each year.

Dawn Primarolo: The following table sets out the numbers of first and second fixed penalty notices issued for failure to file self assessment tax returns by the due date, listed by Area for each year from 2001–02 (first year available) to 2004–05 (latest full year). Details of how many penalties were subsequently refunded each year are not held.
	
		Total SA Penalties issued in year
		
			 Area Total issued 
		
		
			 2001–02  
			 Beds/W. Herts 11,210 
			 Belfast 7 IRO 10 
			 Berks. 7,963 
			 Birm. Solhull 11,901 
			 Bootle 01 26,761 
			 Bootle Matme 4,221 
			 Bootle Mview 4,124 
			 Brad Beckside 6,628 
			 Bris/N. Somst 9,242 
			 Cambs. 7,854 
			 Cardiff 3 4,258 
			 Cent.Yorks 8,688 
			 Centre 1 13,748 
			 Chapel W. 31,627 
			 Cornwll/Plym 19,078 
			 Cumbria 2,824 
			 Devon 7,683 
			 Dors/S. Wilts 7,569 
			 E. Ches/S. Lanc 10,317 
			 E. Hamp/Wight 10,072 
			 E. Hert/W. Ess 8,542 
			 E. Lancs 8,348 
			 East Kent 6,091 
			 Edbgh Holryd 11 
			 FICO 20,638 
			 Foreign Ent. 137 
			 G. Belfast 18,240 
			 Glasgow Blyth 6,893 
			 Glenrothes 4,459 
			 Glos/N. Wilts 8,471 
			 Humber 9,053 
			 LBO 667 
			 Leeds U/Unit 449 
			 Leic/Northnt 16,554 
			 Leicester 4 1,120 
			 Leicester 7 1,817 
			 Lincoln 4,350 
			 London Central 4,988 
			 London City 49 
			 London East 3,271 
			 London N. West 3,794 
			 London North 282 
			 London S. East 4,804 
			 London S. West 4,838 
			 London South 68 
			 London Spec. 7 
			 London Trust 1,934 
			 London West 4,858 
			 London Wmstr 192 
			 LP Lothians 16,550 
			 LP10 5,244 
			 LP34 3,779 
			 Manchester 9,555 
			 Merseyside 11,633 
			 Midlands W. 5,505 
			 N. Wales 10,612 
			 N. Yorks 5,519 
			 Norfolk 11,859 
			 Northumbria 6,265 
			 Nott Trusts 3,731 
			 Notts/Derby 10,594 
			 NW Lancs 6,829 
			 NW Mids/Shrop 8,981 
			 Oxon/Bucks 11,349 
			 PD1 1,294 
			 PD2 8,880 
			 Ports Matime 4,421 
			 S. Essex 7,739 
			 S. Wales 11,901 
			 S. Yorks 8,188 
			 Scot Cent 8,344 
			 Scot East 4,426 
			 Scot North 4,849 
			 Scot South 6,611 
			 Scotlnd West 6,052 
			 Somerset 4,713 
			 Staffs. 6,962 
			 STIU 47 
			 Suff and N. Ex 12,224 
			 Surr/N. Hamp 10,912 
			 Sussex 15,191 
			 Tees Valley 16,671 
			 Truro Trusts 540 
			 W. Hampshire 9,042 
			 W. Kent 11,688 
			 W. Lanc/W. Ches 10,309 
			 W. Wales 7,028 
			 W. York/Cravn 10,041 
			 Warck/Cov 8,300 
			 Washington 4,229 
			 Wear/S. Tyne 6,332 
			 Worcs/Herefd 5,737 
			 Total 691,379 
			   
			 2002–03  
			 Beds/W. Herts 40,247 
			 Berks. 29,430 
			 Birm. Solhull 41,843 
			 Bris/N. Somst 34,074 
			 Cambs. 28,180 
			 Cent. Yorks 31,020 
			 Chapel W. 132,513 
			 Cornwll/Plym 75,066 
			 Cumbria 11,262 
			 Devon 41,845 
			 Dors/S. Wilts 27,555 
			 E. Ches/S. Lanc 35,164 
			 E. Hamp/Wight 52,019 
			 E. Hert/W.Ess 33,668 
			 E. Lancs 28,763 
			 East Kent 41,288 
			 Edbgh Holryd 20 
			 FICO 76,558 
			 Foreign Ent. 318 
			 G. Belfast 21,140 
			 Glos/N.Wilts 28,209 
			 Humber 29,813 
			 LBO 2,372 
			 Leic/Northnt 71,436 
			 Lincoln 16,535 
			 Lisburn 5,609 
			 London Central 148 
			 London City 60 
			 London East 358 
			 London N. West 693 
			 London North 322 
			 London S. East 269 
			 London S. West 188 
			 London South 706 
			 London Spec. 8,042 
			 London West 188 
			 London Wmstr 1,086 
			 Lothians 74,550 
			 Man Trusts 2,151 
			 Manchester 33,370 
			 Merseyside 41,004 
			 Midlands W 20,920 
			 N.E. Metro 60,906 
			 N.I. Counties 40,045 
			 N. Wales 39,528 
			 N. Yorks 20,904 
			 Norfolk 40,210 
			 Northumbria 22,23 
			 Nott Trusts 15,00 
			 Notts/Derby 39,20 
			 N.W. Lancs 25,13 
			 N.W. Mids/Shrop 30,80 
			 Oxon/Bucks 39,56 
			 PD1 5,52 
			 S. Essex 33,80 
			 S. Wales 91,72 
			 S. Yorks 33,18 
			 Scot Cent 21,23 
			 Scot East 15,25 
			 Scot North 15,96 
			 Scot SchE W 69,07 
			 Scot South 23,09 
			 Scotlnd West 21,67 
			 Sefton 135,74 
			 Somerset 17,33 
			 Staffs. 25,505 
			 STIU 128 
			 Suff and N. Ex 46,178 
			 Surr/N. Hamp 37,025 
			 Sussex 53,275 
			 Tees Valley 73,450 
			 Truro Trusts 1,844 
			 W. Hampshire 35,498 
			 W. Kent 41,354 
			 W. Lanc/W. Ches 38,953 
			 W. Wales 23,599 
			 W. York/Cravn 60,510 
			 Warck/Cov. 31,384 
			 Wear/S. Tyne 21,163 
			 Worcs/Herefd 20,682 
			 Total 2,487,706 
			   
			 2003–04  
			 Beds/W. Herts 25,957 
			 Berks 18,715 
			 Birm Solhull 29,872 
			 Bris/N. Somst 38,066 
			 Cambs. 18,682 
			 Cent. Yorks 20,960 
			 Chapel W. 95,841 
			 Cornwll/Plym 49,949 
			 Cumbria 7,048 
			 Devon 28,401 
			 Dors/S. Wilts 6,228 
			 E. Ches/S. Lanc 21,373 
			 E. Hamp/Wight 36,992 
			 E. Hert/W. Ess 20,185 
			 E. Lancs 18,7161 
			 East Kent 28,697 
			 Edbgh Holryd 13 
			 Foreign Ent. 165 
			 G. Belfast 13,237 
			 Glos/N. Wilts 17,894 
			 Humber 18,317 
			 LBO 1,287 
			 Leic/Northnt 48,415 
			 Lincoln 10,774 
			 Lisburn 3,547 
			 London N.West 509 
			 London S.East 263 
			 London S.West 1 
			 London South 578 
			 London Spec. 351 
			 London West 94 
			 London Wmstr 495 
			 Lothians 43,599 
			 Manchester 23,211 
			 Merseyside 25,878 
			 Midlands W 13,268 
			 N.E. Metro 42,063 
			 N.I. Counties 26,567 
			 N. Wales 27,009 
			 N. Yorks 13,881 
			 NEMA FLM 3,916 
			 Norfolk 25,203 
			 Northumbria 13,854 
			 Notts/Derby 25,269 
			 NW Lancs 16,530 
			 NW Mids/Shrop 18,451 
			 Oxon/Bucks 24,839 
			 PD1 4,095 
			 RPO Bootle 38,784 
			 S. Essex 21,747 
			 S. Wales 63,252 
			 S. Yorks 21,447 
			 Scot Cent 14,986 
			 Scot East 9.820 
			 Scot North 11,011 
			 Scot SchE W 44,366 
			 Scot South 14,692 
			 Scotlnd West 14,592 
			 Sefton 87.173 
			 Somerset 11,867 
			 Staffs. 12,169 
			 Suff and N. Ex 30,998 
			 Surr/N. Hamp 24,122 
			 Sussex 35,193 
			 Tees Valley 45,916 
			 Trusts 19,607 
			 W. Hampshire 23,330 
			 W. Kent 28,924 
			 W. Lanc/W. Ches. 24,877 
			 W. Wales 16,252 
			 W. York/Cravn 38,938 
			 Warck/Cov. 20,759 
			 Wear/S. Tyne 11,783 
			 Worcs/Herefd 13,701 
			 Total 1,629,541 
			   
			 2004–05  
			 Beds/W. Herts 26,721 
			 Berks. 18,275 
			 Birm Solhull 30,086 
			 Bris/N. Somst 39,150 
			 Cambs. 19,735 
			 Cent. Yorks 23,584 
			 Chapel W. 124,462 
			 Cornwll/Plym 50,190 
			 Cumbria 7,720 
			 Devon 30,833 
			 Dors/S.Wilts 6,075 
			 Ches/S.Lanc 23,347 
			 E. Hamp/Wight 37,180 
			 E. Hert/W.Ess 20,974 
			 E. Lancs 20,025 
			 East Kent 29,361 
			 Edbgh Holryd 19 
			 G. Belfast 12,213 
			 Glos/N. Wilts 18,270 
			 Humber 19,800 
			 LBO 1,225 
			 Leic/Northnt 48,417 
			 Lincoln 12,476 
			 Lisburn 3,993 
			 London N. West 24 
			 London S. East 191 
			 London South 715 
			 London Spec. 237 
			 London West 68 
			 London Wmstr 623 
			 Lothians 41,608 
			 Manchester 23,699 
			 Merseyside 27,420 
			 Midlands W 13,936 
			 N.E. Metro 46,152 
			 N.I. Counties 27,514 
			 N. Wales 25,860 
			 N. Yorks 14,130 
			 NEMA FLM 3,783 
			 Norfolk 25,364 
			 Northumbria 14,760 
			 Notts/Derby 27,149 
			 NW Lancs 17,939 
			 NW Mids/Shrop 20,70 
			 Oxon/Bucks 25,85 
			 PD1 4,630 
			 RPO Bootle 40,863 
			 S. Essex 21,611 
			 S. Wales 62,632 
			 S. Yorks 23,729 
			 Scot Cent 16,857 
			 Scot East 10,327 
			 Scot North 10,933 
			 Scot SchE W 47,331 
			 Scot South 15,482 
			 Scotlnd West 15,812 
			 Sefton 93,126 
			 Somerset 12,492 
			 Staffs. 17,849 
			 Suff and N. Ex 31,149 
			 Surr/N. Hamp 24,280 
			 Sussex 35,055 
			 Tees Valley 49,200 
			 Trusts 17,993 
			 W. Hampshire 24,621 
			 W. Kent 28,742 
			 W. Lanc/W. Ches 25,513 
			 W. Wales 16,906 
			 N .York/Cravn 40,183 
			 Warck/Cov 20,265 
			 Wear/S. Tyne 11,876 
			 Worcs/Herefd 14,455 
			 Total 1,715,775 
		
	
	Note:
	First penalty for 2001–02 was in fact issued in 2002–03

Long-term Limiting Illness

Neil Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of 65 to 74-year-olds are recorded as having a long-term limiting illness in (a) Inner London local authorities, (b) Outer London local authorities, (c) English metropolitan authorities outside London, (d) Wigan metropolitan borough council area, (e) Salford city council area, (f) Knowsley metropolitan borough council area, (g) South Tyneside council area, (h) Leeds city council area and (i) Wolverhampton city council area.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the national statistician who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell to Mr. Neil Turner, dated 17 November 2005
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning what percentage of 65 to 74 year olds are recorded as having a long-term limiting illness in (a) Inner London local authorities, (b) Outer London local authorities, (c) English metropolitan authorities outside London, (d) Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council area, (e) Salford City Council area, (f) Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council area, (g) South Tyneside Council area, (h) Leeds City Council area and (i) Wolverhampton City Council area. (29473)
	We have interpreted English metropolitan authorities outside London" to mean the metropolitan counties of Tyne and Wear, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and West Midlands
	The table below shows the percentage of people aged between 65 and 74 in each of the requested geographies who were recorded as suffering from a limiting long-term illness on Census day (29 April 2001). The data have been taken from table S016 on the CD accompaniment to the Census 2001 National Report for England and Wales part 1" which is available in the House of Commons Library.
	
		England
		
			  All people aged 65 to 74 All people aged 65 to 74 who suffer from a limiting long-term illness Percentage of people aged 65 to 74 who suffer from a limiting long-term illness 
		
		
			 Inner London Boroughs 151,246 66,920 44 
			 Outer London Boroughs 311,813 119,187 38 
			 English Metropolitan Counties 898,913 429,599 48 
			 Wigan 23,823 12,725 53 
			 Salford 18,320 9,264 51 
			 Knowsley 13,548 7,762 57 
			 South Tyneside 14,643 7,436 51 
			 Leeds 57,254 25,028 44 
			 Wolverhampton 21,250 10,094 48 
		
	
	Source:
	Table S016 Census 2001 National Report for England and Wales part 1.

Network Rail

Michael Penning: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he had with his Cabinet colleagues on the classification of Network Rail's liabilities; and if he will make a statement.
	 Question number missing in Hansard, possibly truncated question.

Des Browne: Treasury ministers meet regularly with Ministerial colleagues from other departments to discuss a range of issues. It has been the practice of successive governments not to disclose the details of such meetings. To do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion. All such meetings are conducted in accordance with the Ministerial Code.
	The ONS classified Network Rail as a Private Non-financial Corporation from 1 April 2003. ONS reached its decision on using internationally recognised standards for producing economic accounts. The ONS acts as an independent agency in compiling the public sector finances.

Public Service Pensions

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the percentage of gross domestic product which would be accounted for by public service pensions before the proposed reforms to the scheme in (a) 2003–04, (b) 2013–14, (c) 2023–24, (d) 2033–34, (e) 2043–44 and (f) 2053–54.

John Healey: Figures for spending on public service pensions are being reconsidered in the light of updated assumptions and revised figures should be available at the time of the forthcoming pre-Budget report.

Solar Photovoltaics Programme

Brian Iddon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what economic assessment he has made of the 2003 Energy White Paper's commitment to a 2002 to 2012 solar photovoltaics programme; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: I have been asked to reply.
	The Department has supported Photo voltaics since 2002 through the £31 million major photovoltaics demonstration programme. We plan to continue support for photovoltaics and other building scale renewables through a low carbon buildings programme, which is currently under development. The new programme will have a budget of £30 million over three years and will start in April 2006 subject to EU state aids clearance.

Torbay/Plymouth Unitary Authorities

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the letter of 14 November from the National Statistician to the hon. Member for Torbay, what the figures are for the unitary authorities of (a) Torbay and (b) Plymouth.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell to Mr. Adrian Sanders, dated 17 November 2005
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question, pursuant to my letter of 14th November, regarding what the figures are for the unitary authorities of (a) Torbay and (b) Plymouth. (29586)
	As in our previous response we have interpreted carer" to mean any person who provides unpaid care.
	The table below shows the number of people in Torbay and in Plymouth unitary authorities on Census day (29 April 2001) who were providing unpaid care, and of those how many were providing more than 50 hours of unpaid care per week. The data have been taken from table KS08 in Census 2001 Key Statistics for local authorities in England and Wales which is available in the House of Commons Library.
	
		All people: Plymouth and Torbay UAs
		
			   Provision of unpaid care 
			 Area All people All people who provide unpaid care All people who provide unpaid care : 50 or more hours of care a week 
		
		
			 Plymouth UA 240,720 24,058 5,952 
			 Torbay UA 129,706 13,881 3,582 
		
	
	Source:
	Table KS08 Census 2001 Key Statistics for local authorities in England and Wales.
	Figures are not available for subsequent years.